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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. swing — music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. race — humankind
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. race — a contest
  21. bulb — for light
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bear — the animal
  24. suit — to fit

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