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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 116 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stock — shares
  11. swing — in golf
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stock — goods
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fan — to cool the air

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