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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. present — the time now
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. swing — music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. season — of the year
  15. bass — low music
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. swing — in golf
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. present — a gift
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. present — there
  24. nail — for a hammer

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