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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rest — a break
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pit — a hole
  6. swing — in golf
  7. key — the most important part
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wake — a trail
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. roll — a list
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. key — in music
  20. mug — a face
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. calf — a young animal

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