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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. swing — in golf
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. swing — music
  5. season — of the year
  6. net — for catching
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. swing — to play on
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. chair — a leader
  11. net — in sport
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. object — an aim
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. net — after costs
  18. season — in sport
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. tube — a container
  22. object — to protest
  23. tube — the underground
  24. object — a thing

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