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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. present — there
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pop — soda
  6. swing — to play on
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. present — a gift
  9. pop — music
  10. board — a committee
  11. swing — in golf
  12. board — to get on
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stem — to come from
  15. craft — boats
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. present — the time now
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. safe — a strongbox

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