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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. present — the time now
  4. bass — the fish
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bass — low music
  7. swing — music
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. craft — boats
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. swing — to play on
  13. suit — in cards
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — there
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. wound — an injury
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. wound — an injury
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. kick — in football

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