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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. club — a group
  10. pitch — completely
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. capital — a city
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. swing — music
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — money
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. vault — a safe
  24. swing — to play on

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