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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: mine · deal · mug · scale · track · hide · club · march

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. mug — to rob
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. march — the month
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mug — a cup
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. track — a path
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. deal — to handle
  18. track — to keep track
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. mug — a face
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for dancing
  24. track — a song

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