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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rash — a series
  3. season — of the year
  4. cue — a hint
  5. scale — size or range
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cue — for pool
  11. swing — to play on
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. cue — a signal
  18. scale — in music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. scale — for weighing

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