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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wound — an injury
  3. swing — music
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. swing — to play on
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ground — the earth
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ball — a dance
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. ground — a position
  20. bound — certain
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bound — obliged
  23. ground — crushed
  24. cabinet — ministers

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