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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 116 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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rock — a stone
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. swing — music
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. rock — music
  16. net — for catching
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. swing — to play on
  19. lean — to bend
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. lean — thin
  22. band — a music group
  23. net — after costs
  24. leaves — of a tree

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