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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bear — the animal
  6. court — of law
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mug — a cup
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. swing — to play on
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. court — of a king
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bear — the animal
  18. court — for sport
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. mug — to rob
  23. snap — to click
  24. mug — a face

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