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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stem — to come from
  8. court — of a king
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. perch — the fish
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. court — for sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. court — of law

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