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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. land — a country
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. branch — a division
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ground — the earth
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. land — to come down
  10. ground — a position
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. swing — to play on
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. swing — in golf
  16. land — ground
  17. ground — crushed
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fan — to cool the air

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