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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. swing — in golf
  3. fall — the season
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rock — a stone
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. season — in sport
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. squash — the sport
  14. fall — to drop
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. squash — to crush
  17. season — of the year
  18. swing — to play on
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rock — music
  23. swing — music
  24. mug — a cup

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