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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. current — happening now
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mate — a partner
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mate — to breed
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mug — to rob
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. current — of water
  16. mug — a face
  17. cell — a phone
  18. swing — music
  19. mate — a friend
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. current — electric
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

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