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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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Word bank
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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. swing — music
  4. present — a gift
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rest — what's left
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. current — happening now
  10. present — the time now
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rest — what's left
  13. current — of water
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. swing — in golf
  17. present — there
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. current — electric
  21. prune — to trim
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. prune — the fruit

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