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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. fine — high quality
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. cap — a lid
  5. ball — a dance
  6. staff — a stick
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ground — crushed
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. staff — employees
  14. ground — a position
  15. staff — employees
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. swing — in golf
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. fine — all right
  22. swing — music
  23. ground — the earth
  24. can — a tin

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