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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. swing — in golf
  4. can — a tin
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. shower — to wash
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. can — a tin
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wound — an injury
  17. capital — a city
  18. can — to be able to
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — money
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wound — an injury

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