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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wind — moving air
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. root — of a word
  7. swing — in golf
  8. toast — bread
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. field — for sport
  11. swing — to play on
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. squash — to crush
  14. root — the cause
  15. current — happening now
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. field — farmland
  19. current — electric
  20. field — a subject
  21. squash — the sport
  22. wind — moving air
  23. root — of a plant
  24. current — of water

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