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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.

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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stand — to bear
  4. squash — to crush
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. squash — the sport
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chair — a leader
  17. rock — a stone
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. swing — music
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rock — music
  24. stand — on your feet

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