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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 116 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. swing — music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. season — of the year
  7. field — for sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. deal — to handle
  10. season — in sport
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. field — farmland
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. swing — to play on
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. field — a subject
  24. plane — a tool

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