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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cue — for pool
  3. swing — to play on
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pound — a weight
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. cell — a phone
  10. toast — bread
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cue — a hint
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cell — in biology
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bear — to put up with

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