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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 116 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. hand — in cards
  3. chair — a leader
  4. suit — in cards
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. current — happening now
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. suit — clothes
  16. swing — to play on
  17. current — electric
  18. content — the amount
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. current — of water
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. swing — in golf
  24. content — happy

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