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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. swing — to play on
  3. object — to protest
  4. swing — in golf
  5. spell — magic
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. swing — music
  11. net — for catching
  12. content — happy
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. net — after costs
  15. spell — a short time
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. object — an aim
  18. rock — music
  19. content — the amount
  20. net — in sport
  21. object — a thing
  22. spell — letters
  23. rock — a stone
  24. mouse — the animal

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