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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. snap — to click
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pass — a permit
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. saw — the tool
  24. swing — to play on

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