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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. wound — an injury
  3. chip — to eat
  4. swing — in golf
  5. sharp — clever
  6. wound — an injury
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cell — a phone
  12. mug — a cup
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. swing — music
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mug — to rob
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. mug — a face
  20. season — in sport
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. suit — clothes
  23. swing — to play on
  24. season — of the year

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