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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. staff — employees
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. staff — a stick
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. staff — employees
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bulb — for light
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. net — in sport
  21. saw — the tool
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — after costs
  24. season — of the year

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