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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. foot — a measure
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rest — what's left
  10. swing — to play on
  11. clip — a video
  12. rest — a break
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. club — for golf
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. clip — to cut
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. club — for dancing
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. club — a group
  23. rest — what's left
  24. clip — for paper

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