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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. suit — clothes
  5. fine — high quality
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rock — music
  8. field — a subject
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. kick — in football
  11. rock — a stone
  12. swing — music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. field — for sport
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. suit — in cards
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. branch — a division
  20. chair — a leader
  21. swing — in golf
  22. fine — all right
  23. field — farmland
  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