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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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. spell — a short time
  3. season — of the year
  4. swing — to play on
  5. game — wild animals
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. spell — magic
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. swing — in golf
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. spell — letters
  20. game — a match
  21. season — in sport
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ruler — for measuring

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