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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mate — a partner
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. last — final
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. swing — music
  12. mark — a grade
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. last — finally
  15. capital — money
  16. swing — to play on
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. capital — a city
  19. mate — to breed
  20. last — to go on
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lean — thin
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. mate — a friend

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