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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. track — a song
  3. land — ground
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. date — the fruit
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. swing — music
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. land — to come down
  11. craft — boats
  12. track — to keep track
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. craft — a skill
  20. track — a path
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. land — a country

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