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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bear — the animal
  4. last — to go on
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. squash — the sport
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — bread
  10. deal — to handle
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. wound — an injury
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. squash — to crush
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. last — final
  22. last — finally
  23. bear — the animal
  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