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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. swing — music
  6. staff — employees
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. net — for catching
  9. swing — in golf
  10. net — after costs
  11. swing — to play on
  12. net — in sport
  13. staff — employees
  14. rash — a series
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. can — a tin
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. chip — for betting
  21. can — a tin
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rash — hasty

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