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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. swing — to play on
  4. firm — decided
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pound — a weight
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a line of people
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. net — after costs
  12. swing — in golf
  13. net — for catching
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. club — for golf
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. file — a tool
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. club — a group
  24. net — in sport

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