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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. swing — music
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rash — a series
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lean — to bend
  10. season — of the year
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. lean — thin
  19. saw — the tool
  20. season — in sport
  21. rash — hasty
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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