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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 116 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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. kick — in football
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. dip — to sink
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. branch — a division
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. capital — money
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. capital — a city
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. coach — a trainer

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