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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. field — a subject
  5. club — for golf
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. object — an aim
  10. swing — to play on
  11. object — to protest
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. cap — of ice
  18. object — a thing
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — farmland
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pound — a weight

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