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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mate — to breed
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. swing — music
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bass — the fish
  20. kick — in football
  21. bass — low music
  22. chair — a leader
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mate — a friend

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