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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. file — a tool
  3. chip — to eat
  4. swing — music
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rash — a series
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. swing — to play on
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. rash — hasty
  13. suit — in cards
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — for betting
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. file — a document
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. file — a line of people
  24. wax — to grow

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