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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. swing — music
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. craft — boats
  7. rest — a break
  8. shower — rain
  9. swing — in golf
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rest — what's left
  12. track — a song
  13. staff — employees
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rest — what's left
  18. swing — to play on
  19. craft — a skill
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. shower — to wash
  24. track — a path

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