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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. squash — to crush
  3. track — a path
  4. swing — to play on
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. court — of a king
  8. rule — government
  9. content — happy
  10. bulb — for light
  11. court — of law
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rule — a law
  18. suit — to fit
  19. track — a song
  20. content — the amount
  21. court — for sport
  22. track — to keep track
  23. suit — clothes
  24. swing — music

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