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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. march — music
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — music
  7. pass — a permit
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. march — the month
  11. bat — the animal
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. staff — employees
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. march — the month
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. deal — to handle
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. staff — employees
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. kid — to tease
  24. vault — a safe

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