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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rush — hurry
  4. swing — music
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. swing — in golf
  8. field — for sport
  9. mug — a face
  10. field — a subject
  11. mug — to rob
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. field — farmland
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — all right
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. swing — to play on
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. sharp — clever

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