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

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. snap — to click
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. scale — size or range
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rock — music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. swing — to play on
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. swing — in golf
  20. rock — a stone
  21. scale — in music
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. vault — a safe

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