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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. firm — decided
  3. band — a music group
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. firm — steady
  9. current — of water
  10. mug — a face
  11. band — a ring
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. firm — a company
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. swing — music
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bowl — to roll

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