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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. fine — all right
  3. swing — music
  4. suit — in cards
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ground — crushed
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fine — high quality
  9. suit — to fit
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ground — the earth
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ground — a position
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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