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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lean — thin
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. swing — music
  16. current — happening now
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wake — a trail
  22. current — electric
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. current — of water

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