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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stem — to come from
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. swing — to play on
  10. hand — in cards
  11. swing — in golf
  12. craft — a skill
  13. saw — the tool
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. craft — boats
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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