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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. staff — employees
  3. swing — to play on
  4. staff — a stick
  5. season — in sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — there
  8. swing — in golf
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — of the year
  11. present — a gift
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. present — the time now
  14. roll — a cake
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. staff — employees
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. swing — music
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  24. ruler — for measuring

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