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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ball — a great time
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. current — of water
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. staff — a stick
  9. file — a document
  10. rash — hasty
  11. current — electric
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. staff — employees
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. staff — employees
  17. swing — in golf
  18. current — happening now
  19. file — a tool
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. ball — a dance
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rash — a series

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