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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. saw — the tool
  3. swing — music
  4. court — for sport
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. season — of the year
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. court — of law
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. court — of a king
  20. swing — to play on
  21. season — in sport
  22. firm — steady
  23. swing — in golf
  24. lash — an eyelash

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