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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. foot — a measure
  3. land — ground
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. swing — music
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. ball — a dance
  13. net — for catching
  14. bulb — for light
  15. land — to come down
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. swing — to play on
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. net — after costs
  20. ball — a great time
  21. land — a country
  22. bulb — for light
  23. net — in sport
  24. foot — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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