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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. swing — to play on
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. swing — music
  6. field — a subject
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — farmland
  13. rule — a law
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rule — government
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. ball — a dance
  24. dip — to sink

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