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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. row — to paddle
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pit — a hole
  6. row — a line
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. object — a thing
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pit — in a race
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. swing — to play on
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mark — a grade
  21. object — an aim
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. object — to protest

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