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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. swing — to play on
  4. file — a document
  5. pitch — completely
  6. swing — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hand — in cards
  16. chip — for betting
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. hand — help
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. swing — in golf
  24. file — a tool

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