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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. swing — music
  4. ground — a position
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. root — of a word
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stock — shares
  12. root — the cause
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. tube — the underground
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stock — goods
  17. ground — crushed
  18. swing — to play on
  19. ground — the earth
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. tube — a container
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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