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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. kick — in football
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. net — for catching
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. chip — for betting
  10. craft — boats
  11. swing — to play on
  12. net — in sport
  13. chip — to eat
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stem — to come from
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. net — after costs
  23. craft — a skill
  24. kick — with a leg

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