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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. swing — music
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. swing — in golf
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. deal — to handle
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. drill — army training
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. drill — a practice
  14. cell — a phone
  15. sharp — clever
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. swing — to play on
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. drill — the tool
  21. cell — in biology
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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