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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. season — in sport
  4. can — a tin
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cell — in biology
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. current — of water
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. season — of the year
  12. current — happening now
  13. can — to be able to
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. swing — music
  16. current — electric
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cell — a phone
  19. swing — to play on
  20. can — a tin
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. mine — for digging
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. season — to add flavour

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