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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pitcher · wound · stick · perch · club · ball · pop

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pop — to visit
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. ball — a dance
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pop — soda
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pop — music
  22. fine — all right
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. perch — for a bird

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