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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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. last — to go on
  4. present — the time now
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wound — an injury
  7. chip — to eat
  8. toast — bread
  9. present — there
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. present — a gift
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. last — final
  18. bulb — for light
  19. swing — to play on
  20. wound — an injury
  21. swing — in golf
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. last — finally

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