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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. swing — music
  3. object — to protest
  4. swing — in golf
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. fine — all right
  10. object — an aim
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bark — to shout
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. object — a thing
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. scale — in music
  24. fine — high quality

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