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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. roll — a list
  3. land — a country
  4. can — to be able to
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. row — a line
  7. club — for golf
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. can — a tin
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. swing — to play on
  13. row — to paddle
  14. can — a tin
  15. club — a group
  16. swing — in golf
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. land — to come down
  19. club — for dancing
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. land — ground
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. roll — a cake
  24. mouse — the animal

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