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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. swing — music
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pitch — completely
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. fine — all right
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — government
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rule — a law
  18. fine — high quality

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