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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. suit — to fit
  3. swing — to play on
  4. suit — clothes
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. suit — in cards
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rest — what's left
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. squash — the sport
  12. rest — what's left
  13. present — there
  14. rest — a break
  15. swing — in golf
  16. present — the time now
  17. swing — music
  18. plane — a tool

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