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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. chest — a box
  8. ball — a great time
  9. chest — of your body
  10. root — the cause
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chest — of your body
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fine — high quality
  15. swing — in golf
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rest — a break
  18. fine — all right
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. root — of a plant
  21. lean — thin
  22. ball — a dance
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. root — of a word

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