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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. swing — music
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pop — music
  8. clip — a video
  9. pitch — completely
  10. squash — to crush
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pop — to visit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. clip — for paper
  21. pop — soda
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. clip — to cut

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