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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 116 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. season — of the year
  3. mate — a friend
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. swing — in golf
  12. march — the month
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. scale — size or range
  15. season — in sport
  16. march — the month
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. scale — in music
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mate — a partner
  23. march — music
  24. mate — to breed

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