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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. game — wild animals
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lean — to bend
  11. squash — to crush
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rash — a series
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. game — a match
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rash — hasty
  21. lean — thin
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. squash — the sport

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