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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. wake — a trail
  4. swing — music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. swing — in golf
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. swing — to play on
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. present — there
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. present — a gift
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chair — a leader
  24. present — the time now

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