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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. swing — in golf
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. kid — to tease
  9. club — for dancing
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stock — goods
  12. club — for golf
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. plane — a tool
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fine — all right
  23. club — a group
  24. stock — shares

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