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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. club — for golf
  3. mark — a trace
  4. swing — music
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lean — to bend
  8. swing — in golf
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pit — a hole
  13. capital — money
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rock — music
  16. club — a group
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. dip — to sink
  21. swing — to play on
  22. capital — a city
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lean — thin

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