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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. swing — to play on
  3. squash — to crush
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cue — a signal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mate — a partner
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cue — a hint
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bulb — for light
  17. swing — in golf
  18. squash — the sport
  19. mate — a friend
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. swing — music
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cue — for pool

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