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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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468
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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. kid — child
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. season — of the year
  8. swing — to play on
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. row — a line
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bulb — for light
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. season — in sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. swing — in golf
  23. kid — to tease
  24. fork — in a road

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