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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. swing — music
  3. kid — to tease
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pop — soda
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. swing — in golf
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pop — to visit
  13. plane — a tool
  14. swing — to play on
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. kid — child
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. snap — to click
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stand — to bear

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