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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cue — for pool
  6. swing — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. march — the month
  12. content — the amount
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — boats
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. craft — a skill
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cue — a signal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cue — a hint
  23. content — happy
  24. march — music

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