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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. cap — a hat
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. stem — to come from
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. swing — in golf
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bore — to drill

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