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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. swing — music
  4. stem — to come from
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. present — there
  10. fine — high quality
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bulb — for light
  13. swing — to play on
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. pitch — completely
  17. fine — all right
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. present — the time now
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. present — a gift

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