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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. band — a ring
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. last — to go on
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. swing — to play on
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. last — finally
  17. band — a music group
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mug — a face
  20. swing — in golf
  21. mug — to rob
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mug — a cup
  24. last — final

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