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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. swing — music
  3. craft — boats
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. swing — in golf
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. squash — to crush
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. chip — to eat
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. squash — the sport
  15. swing — to play on
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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