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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. club — a group
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. swing — to play on
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a leader
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. club — for dancing
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pop — to visit
  21. club — for golf
  22. swing — music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pass — a permit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com