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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 116 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. swing — in golf
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. track — to keep track
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. swing — music
  13. track — a path
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. chair — a leader
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. swing — to play on
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. track — a song

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