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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. swing — to play on
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. swing — in golf
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. craft — boats
  11. deal — to handle
  12. object — a thing
  13. sharp — clever
  14. object — an aim
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pop — soda
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. swing — music
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. object — to protest
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mouse — the animal

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