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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. mug — a face
  3. mate — a friend
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — music
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. spell — a short time
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mug — to rob
  16. foot — a measure
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mug — a cup
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rock — music
  23. mate — to breed
  24. spell — letters

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