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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. swing — to play on
  4. deal — to handle
  5. last — to go on
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. chair — a leader
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. last — final
  10. mug — to rob
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. last — finally
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. mug — a face
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. swing — in golf

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