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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. club — for golf
  4. march — the month
  5. field — for sport
  6. rash — a series
  7. march — the month
  8. field — farmland
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. club — for dancing
  11. pop — soda
  12. swing — music
  13. field — a subject
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pop — music
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. suit — in cards
  18. club — a group
  19. rash — hasty
  20. swing — to play on
  21. march — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pop — to visit
  24. suit — clothes

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