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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. prune — to trim
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wound — an injury
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pop — to visit
  9. wound — an injury
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pop — soda
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — for betting
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. craft — boats
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pop — music
  19. craft — a skill
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. swing — in golf
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. prune — to trim

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