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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · deal · suit · mine · lean · swing

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — music
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. swing — in golf
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lean — thin
  8. swing — to play on
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mine — for digging
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. pop — to visit
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. swing — music
  18. suit — clothes

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