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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. can — a tin
  10. current — electric
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. spell — letters
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. swing — music
  16. spell — magic
  17. current — happening now
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. spell — a short time
  22. swing — to play on
  23. current — of water
  24. fan — to cool the air

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