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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. net — for catching
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. lie — to recline
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bound — tied together
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. swing — music
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. net — in sport
  14. rash — a series
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. net — after costs
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. rash — hasty
  23. swing — to play on
  24. lie — an untruth

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