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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. swing — in golf
  3. firm — steady
  4. swing — music
  5. pitch — completely
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. firm — decided
  8. root — of a plant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. swing — to play on
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. root — the cause
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. root — of a word
  18. rash — a series
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. firm — a company
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. nail — on a finger

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