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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. swing — music
  6. roll — a cake
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mug — a face
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pop — soda
  19. march — music
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. toast — bread
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. mug — a cup

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