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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. swing — to play on
  3. track — a song
  4. suit — clothes
  5. track — a path
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — a stick
  8. spell — magic
  9. swing — in golf
  10. spell — letters
  11. track — to keep track
  12. row — to paddle
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rash — hasty
  15. suit — in cards
  16. swing — music
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rash — a series
  21. staff — employees
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. suit — to fit

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