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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. swing — to play on
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cue — for pool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stem — to come from
  16. chest — a box
  17. key — for a lock
  18. swing — music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cue — a hint
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cue — a signal
  23. perch — the fish
  24. swing — in golf

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