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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. lean — thin
  5. object — to protest
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rock — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. cap — a hat
  11. object — an aim
  12. cap — a lid
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. cap — of ice
  16. net — in sport
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. net — after costs
  19. object — a thing
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lean — to bend
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rock — a stone
  24. net — for catching

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