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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. spell — magic
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pop — to visit
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rock — music
  8. swing — music
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. vault — a safe
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pop — music
  16. snap — to click
  17. drill — army training
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pop — soda
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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