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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. club — for golf
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. club — for dancing
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. club — a group
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. swing — music
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pound — a weight
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. swing — in golf

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