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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pop — soda
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. squash — to crush
  16. rock — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fork — in a road
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bear — the animal

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