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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. swing — to play on
  6. kick — in football
  7. bulb — for light
  8. game — wild animals
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. lie — to recline
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. game — a match
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. current — electric
  22. current — happening now
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. lie — an untruth

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