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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: wind · roll · bay · ruler · perch · club · key · present

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. club — for dancing
  4. present — there
  5. key — in music
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — for a lock
  10. club — for golf
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wind — moving air
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. present — the time now
  18. roll — a list
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. present — a gift
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wind — moving air

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