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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. field — a subject
  3. staff — employees
  4. object — to protest
  5. rash — hasty
  6. present — a gift
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. present — the time now
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bass — the fish
  11. rash — a series
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. staff — employees
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. present — there
  17. bass — low music
  18. staff — a stick
  19. field — for sport
  20. object — a thing
  21. field — farmland
  22. swing — music
  23. object — an aim
  24. swing — to play on

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