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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mate — a partner
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. swing — music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mate — to breed
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. swing — to play on
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mate — a friend
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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