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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. swing — music
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. wax — to grow
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chair — a leader

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