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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. file — a tool
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ball — a dance
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — to bear
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. ball — a great time
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. snap — to click
  21. file — a line of people
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. file — a document
  24. ruler — for measuring

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