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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. can — a tin
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. swing — in golf
  7. content — happy
  8. rest — what's left
  9. sharp — clever
  10. firm — a company
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. can — to be able to
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. firm — steady
  20. can — a tin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. firm — decided
  23. swing — to play on
  24. sharp — exactly

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