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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. present — the time now
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — music
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wind — moving air
  9. prune — to trim
  10. present — there
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. game — a match
  14. suit — to fit
  15. swing — to play on
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. present — a gift
  18. suit — in cards
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wind — moving air
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. current — happening now
  24. game — wild animals

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