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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pit — a hole
  3. object — to protest
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — music
  6. object — an aim
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. object — a thing
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. scale — in music
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — a series
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pitch — completely
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pit — in a race
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rash — hasty

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