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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. club — a group
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. club — for golf
  6. suit — clothes
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. swing — to play on
  9. date — the fruit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. swing — in golf
  12. press — a publisher
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. club — for dancing
  16. band — a music group
  17. suit — to fit
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. safe — out of danger

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