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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. season — in sport
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pop — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a music group
  13. pop — to visit
  14. season — of the year
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rock — music
  17. cell — in biology
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. band — a ring
  20. pop — soda
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. swing — music
  23. cell — a phone
  24. can — a tin

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