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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. mark — a grade
  3. firm — steady
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. spring — the season
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mate — a friend
  9. swing — music
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bore — to tire
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. firm — decided
  19. spring — of water
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. firm — a company
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bore — to drill

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