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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 116 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. snap — to click
  4. season — in sport
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. cap — a lid
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. staff — a stick
  9. cap — of ice
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. staff — employees
  14. chip — for betting
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. swing — to play on
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. staff — employees
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. season — of the year
  23. cap — a hat
  24. chip — to eat

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