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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 124 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. tube — a container
  4. swing — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. current — happening now
  8. bear — the animal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. current — of water
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — to play on
  24. current — electric

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