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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 120 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: club · suit · track · wake · bear · nail · fine · ball

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. suit — in cards
  3. track — to keep track
  4. ball — a dance
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ball — a great time
  7. track — a song
  8. club — for golf
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. club — a group
  13. fine — all right
  14. track — a path
  15. suit — clothes
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fine — high quality
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fine — a penalty

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