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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. swing — in golf
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. swing — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bat — the animal
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. craft — a skill
  15. kid — child
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kid — to tease
  19. chair — a leader
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. craft — boats
  24. chair — a professorship

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