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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. scale — size or range
  3. swing — music
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. swing — in golf
  7. rest — a break
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. swing — to play on
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. scale — in music
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rule — a law
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rule — government
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rest — what's left
  24. season — to add flavour

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