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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pop — music
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. present — there
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pop — to visit
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pop — soda
  24. fan — a supporter

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