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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. spell — magic
  4. bear — the animal
  5. hand — help
  6. squash — the sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hand — in cards
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bark — to shout
  13. spell — letters
  14. bear — the animal
  15. press — a publisher
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. spell — a short time
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. press — to push
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. press — newspapers
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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