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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. suit — clothes
  4. game — a match
  5. plane — a tool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. suit — to fit
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — a series
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mug — a face
  18. prune — to trim
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. game — wild animals
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rash — hasty
  24. prune — the fruit

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