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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rest — what's left
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. lean — thin
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rest — a break
  18. bat — the animal
  19. lean — to bend
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wind — moving air
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. cabinet — ministers

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