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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. snap — to click
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. object — an aim
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. net — after costs
  12. object — a thing
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. land — a country
  21. object — to protest
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pass — to spend time

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