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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. swing — to play on
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. deal — to handle
  7. swing — in golf
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. chip — for betting
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. march — music
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. chip — to eat
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. staff — employees
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. staff — a stick

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