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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. present — the time now
  3. swing — to play on
  4. can — a tin
  5. sharp — clever
  6. key — in music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. key — the most important part
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bear — the animal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wound — an injury
  14. present — a gift
  15. tube — a container
  16. bear — the animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. can — a tin
  22. present — there
  23. wound — an injury
  24. swing — music

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