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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. squash — the sport
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. swing — in golf
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — in cards
  8. swing — to play on
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. squash — to crush
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. swing — music
  16. lean — thin
  17. suit — to fit
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. dip — to sink

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