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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. drill — the tool
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. drill — a practice
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. swing — music
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mate — a friend
  19. perch — the fish
  20. drill — army training
  21. mate — a partner
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lean — thin
  24. mate — to breed

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