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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. march — the month
  3. swing — in golf
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — from a university
  9. swing — music
  10. lie — to recline
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. degree — temperature
  13. charge — in control
  14. swing — to play on
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. charge — a price
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. march — the month
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. charge — electricity
  24. march — music

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