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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. present — there
  8. drill — army training
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. drill — a practice
  12. swing — to play on
  13. mark — a grade
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. drill — the tool
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stem — to come from
  23. tube — a container
  24. rush — hurry

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