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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. stock — goods
  3. swing — music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. court — for sport
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stock — shares
  11. cue — a signal
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. mark — a grade
  16. kick — in football
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. swing — to play on
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. court — of a king
  23. court — of law
  24. snap — to click

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