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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. stand — to bear
  3. shower — rain
  4. hand — in cards
  5. season — of the year
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. suit — clothes
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. shower — to wash
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. suit — to fit
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hand — help
  22. season — in sport
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stand — for spectators

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