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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. suit — to fit
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. band — a ring
  5. suit — in cards
  6. swing — music
  7. shower — to wash
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — farmland
  10. charge — electricity
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. charge — in control
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. band — a music group
  17. rash — a series
  18. swing — to play on
  19. fine — high quality
  20. suit — clothes
  21. field — for sport
  22. charge — a price
  23. rash — hasty
  24. shower — rain

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