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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  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. swing — in golf
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mug — to rob
  4. swing — to play on
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. club — for dancing
  7. cap — a hat
  8. club — a group
  9. fall — the season
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. deal — to handle
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cap — of ice
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. club — for golf
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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