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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. swing — to play on
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pop — to visit
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. band — a ring
  9. pop — soda
  10. band — a music group
  11. season — in sport
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pop — music
  14. season — of the year
  15. march — the month
  16. saw — the tool
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. swing — in golf
  19. saw — the tool
  20. march — the month
  21. kick — in football
  22. march — music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. season — to add flavour

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