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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ball — a great time
  8. land — a country
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. hand — in cards
  12. swing — music
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spell — a short time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. hand — help
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. spell — letters
  21. land — ground
  22. swing — to play on
  23. spell — magic
  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