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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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pop — music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bear — the animal
  7. swing — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. track — a path
  14. hand — help
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pop — soda
  18. track — a song
  19. hand — in cards
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. plane — in geometry

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