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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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Word bank
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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: club · rock · track · nail · bulb · ground · court · safe

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. track — a song
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ground — a position
  6. rock — music
  7. track — to keep track
  8. court — for sport
  9. club — for dancing
  10. track — a path
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. court — of law
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ground — the earth
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. court — of a king
  19. bulb — for light
  20. club — a group
  21. ground — crushed
  22. club — for golf
  23. bulb — for light
  24. safe — out of danger

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