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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 124 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. swing — music
  7. current — happening now
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. current — of water
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mine — for digging
  12. can — a tin
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. current — electric
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. kid — child

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