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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 124 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rash — a series
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pop — music
  6. present — a gift
  7. vault — a safe
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pop — soda
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. present — there
  13. pop — to visit
  14. present — the time now
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rash — hasty
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mug — a cup
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mug — a face
  23. tube — a container
  24. swing — music

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