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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. chip — for betting
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. swing — to play on
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. present — the time now
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. chip — to eat
  12. game — wild animals
  13. present — a gift
  14. track — a path
  15. present — there
  16. pop — to visit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pop — music
  20. swing — music
  21. track — a song
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pop — soda

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