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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pop — to visit
  4. swing — in golf
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. club — for dancing
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pop — soda
  14. rest — a break
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pop — music
  17. club — a group
  18. swing — music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. club — for golf
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rest — what's left
  24. prune — the fruit

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