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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. current — electric
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pop — music
  5. current — happening now
  6. swing — to play on
  7. current — of water
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pop — soda
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mate — a friend
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pop — to visit
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. shower — to wash
  18. mate — to breed
  19. swing — in golf
  20. deal — to handle
  21. shower — rain
  22. mate — a partner
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. deal — a big deal

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