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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. track — a song
  3. track — to keep track
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rock — a stone
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rest — a break
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rush — hurry
  11. scale — in music
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. scale — size or range
  18. track — a path
  19. lean — to bend
  20. rock — music
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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