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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. tear — from crying
  3. cell — in biology
  4. sharp — clever
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tear — from crying
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. swing — to play on
  16. vault — a safe
  17. tear — to rip
  18. mug — a face
  19. cell — a phone
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. swing — music

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