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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 124 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. swing — music
  3. club — for dancing
  4. file — a tool
  5. club — a group
  6. mark — a trace
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. file — a document
  9. swing — in golf
  10. club — for golf
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mark — a grade
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. kick — in football
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. swing — to play on
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. dip — to dunk

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