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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. hand — help
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fall — the season
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stem — to come from
  9. swing — in golf
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. season — in sport
  17. mug — a face
  18. season — of the year
  19. fall — to drop
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mug — to rob
  22. fall — to drop
  23. safe — out of danger
  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