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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. present — the time now
  3. swing — music
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. present — there
  11. branch — a division
  12. deal — to handle
  13. present — a gift
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. lean — thin
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. swing — in golf
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. lean — to bend

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