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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. current — electric
  4. ground — crushed
  5. current — of water
  6. ground — the earth
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ground — a position
  10. swing — music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. cell — a phone
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. current — happening now
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. swing — in golf
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cell — in biology
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bowl — a dish

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