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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pop — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. swing — to play on
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rock — music
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. squash — the sport
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pop — to visit
  16. race — a contest
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. race — the arms race
  19. swing — music
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pop — soda
  22. squash — to crush
  23. race — humankind
  24. stand — on your feet

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