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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. swing — in golf
  4. stand — to bear
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. club — a group
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. club — for golf
  12. hand — in cards
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. hand — help
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. swing — music
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. safe — out of danger

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