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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pop — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pop — to visit
  9. swing — music
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. tube — a container
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pop — soda
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. swing — to play on

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