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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. swing — music
  3. season — in sport
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. track — a path
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. swing — to play on
  9. firm — decided
  10. mug — to rob
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wind — moving air
  13. saw — the tool
  14. firm — steady
  15. season — of the year
  16. saw — the tool
  17. track — a song
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. track — to keep track
  21. firm — a company
  22. mug — a cup
  23. wind — moving air
  24. swing — in golf

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