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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. swing — in golf
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. march — music
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. snap — to click
  9. swing — to play on
  10. mate — to breed
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. march — the month
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. mate — a friend
  20. march — the month
  21. swing — music
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bowl — a football final

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