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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. rest — a break
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pit — a hole
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rock — a stone
  9. squash — to crush
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. squash — the sport
  13. swing — music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rock — music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pit — in a race
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rock — to move gently

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