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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. swing — music
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. swing — to play on
  8. club — for golf
  9. rash — a series
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. prune — to trim
  14. swing — in golf
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. club — for dancing
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. club — a group

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