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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 116 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. swing — in golf
  3. lean — thin
  4. rock — a stone
  5. spell — letters
  6. rash — a series
  7. firm — decided
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. swing — to play on
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. firm — a company
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. spell — a short time
  15. firm — steady
  16. rash — hasty
  17. swing — music
  18. rock — music
  19. land — a country
  20. spell — magic
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. land — ground
  24. land — to come down

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