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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. deal — to handle
  3. swing — in golf
  4. lean — thin
  5. current — of water
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. net — in sport
  8. current — happening now
  9. swing — to play on
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pop — to visit
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pop — music
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. net — after costs
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pass — a permit
  22. current — electric
  23. net — for catching
  24. swing — music

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