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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 retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rest — what's left
  4. season — of the year
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. swing — in golf
  7. lean — to bend
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. swing — music
  13. lean — thin
  14. pop — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rest — a break
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pop — soda
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rash — a series
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pitcher — a jug

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