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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: rash · deal · club · cell · foot · dip · swing · bark

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. club — a group
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. club — for golf
  6. rash — a series
  7. foot — a measure
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. cell — in biology
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bark — to shout
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. club — for dancing
  20. cell — a phone
  21. swing — in golf
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bark — of a tree

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