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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. swing — to play on
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. club — a group
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. swing — in golf
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. can — to be able to
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rush — hurry
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. branch — a division
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. swing — music

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