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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: fine · club · net · mug · ground · root · season · wave

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. club — for golf
  3. ground — a position
  4. net — in sport
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. net — after costs
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. club — a group
  9. ground — the earth
  10. net — for catching
  11. club — for dancing
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mug — a face
  16. season — in sport
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. ground — crushed
  21. root — the cause
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mug — a cup
  24. season — of the year

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