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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. root — of a word
  5. mug — a cup
  6. drill — a practice
  7. root — the cause
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. can — a tin
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mug — to rob
  15. drill — army training
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. band — a ring
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mug — a face
  21. band — a music group
  22. can — a tin
  23. root — of a plant
  24. drill — the tool

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