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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mug — a cup
  3. spell — letters
  4. mug — to rob
  5. ground — the earth
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. spell — magic
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bound — tied together
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. ground — a position
  23. mug — a face
  24. swing — music

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