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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mug — a face
  3. bank — for money
  4. season — of the year
  5. chip — to eat
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. shower — to wash
  12. swing — music
  13. cue — a hint
  14. shower — rain
  15. season — in sport
  16. cue — for pool
  17. chip — for betting
  18. swing — to play on
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bank — for money
  24. mug — to rob

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