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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mate — to breed
  4. clip — a video
  5. can — to be able to
  6. clip — for paper
  7. net — after costs
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mate — a partner
  11. stock — shares
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. net — in sport
  14. can — a tin
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stock — goods
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. swing — to play on
  21. clip — to cut
  22. swing — music
  23. net — for catching
  24. can — a tin

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