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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. swing — music
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. stand — to bear
  6. drill — army training
  7. face — part of the head
  8. drill — a practice
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cue — a signal
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. face — to confront
  19. cue — for pool
  20. branch — a division
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. drill — the tool
  24. swing — to play on

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