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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. swing — in golf
  6. toast — bread
  7. last — to go on
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. fine — all right
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — to handle
  14. last — finally
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fine — high quality
  17. swing — to play on
  18. root — of a word
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. last — final
  24. wake — a trail

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