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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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468
Word bank
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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. swing — music
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rush — hurry
  15. season — in sport
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. saw — the tool
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. saw — the tool
  20. snap — to click
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. kid — to tease
  24. kid — child

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