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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. degree — an amount
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. degree — temperature
  19. game — a match
  20. swing — to play on
  21. plane — a tool
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. swing — music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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