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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wind — moving air
  6. content — the amount
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. swing — to play on
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. content — happy
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stem — to come from
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. rush — hurry
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. rush — to 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