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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. swing — to play on
  4. dip — to sink
  5. swing — in golf
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. tube — a container
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mine — for digging
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. tube — the underground
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. deal — to handle

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