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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 120 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. tube — a container
  3. wind — moving air
  4. swing — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. swing — to play on
  9. club — for dancing
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wind — moving air
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. club — for golf
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. swing — in golf
  23. club — a group
  24. suit — in cards

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