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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. season — in sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mug — a face
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. season — of the year
  18. mug — a cup
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. swing — music
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pound — a weight
  24. swing — to play on

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