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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: club · ball · prune · suit · face · object · rush · toast

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ball — a great time
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ball — a dance
  8. face — part of the head
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. toast — bread
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. club — for golf
  18. prune — to trim
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. object — a thing
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. suit — clothes
  23. club — for dancing
  24. toast — the most admired

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