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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 116 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. spring — a coil
  4. track — a path
  5. ball — a dance
  6. swing — to play on
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mate — a partner
  11. plane — a tool
  12. spring — the season
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. track — a song
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. swing — music
  18. spring — of water
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mouse — the animal

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