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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 124 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · cabinet · toast · snap · club · mouse

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. club — a group
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. club — for dancing
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — bread
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ruler — a monarch

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