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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: swing · rule · pop · mouse · bay · present

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pop — soda
  3. rule — government
  4. pop — music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. swing — to play on
  10. present — there
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — a gift
  16. swing — music
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mouse — the animal

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