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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. shower — rain
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pitch — completely
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. swing — to play on
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. rest — a break
  14. staff — a stick
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. swing — in golf
  17. shower — to wash
  18. branch — a division
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rest — what's left

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