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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. swing — music
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mug — a cup
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rush — hurry
  15. current — of water
  16. mug — a face
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rock — music
  19. wound — an injury
  20. current — electric
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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