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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. drill — army training
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. swing — music
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. swing — to play on
  18. chair — a leader
  19. drill — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mine — for digging
  22. drill — a practice
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mouse — for a computer

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