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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. sharp — clever
  3. clip — a video
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wake — a trail
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. swing — to play on
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. clip — to cut
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bore — to drill
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — a weight
  21. clip — for paper
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bore — to tire

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