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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. scale — size or range
  3. swing — music
  4. object — to protest
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. squash — to crush
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. object — a thing
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. scale — in music
  18. track — a song
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. squash — the sport
  21. track — a path
  22. fork — in a road
  23. object — an aim
  24. track — to keep track

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