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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bear — the animal
  7. foot — a measure
  8. chip — to eat
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — finally
  13. suit — in cards
  14. swing — to play on
  15. suit — to fit
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chip — for betting
  19. swing — music
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. last — final
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. march — the month

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