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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. chip — for betting
  3. suit — clothes
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. field — for sport
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mark — a grade
  15. field — a subject
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. swing — to play on
  19. kick — in football
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chip — to eat
  22. swing — in golf
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. field — farmland

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