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

Word bank: rule · rest · foot · swing · jam · present

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. present — there
  3. present — a gift
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rest — a break
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. present — the time now
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rule — a law
  11. swing — music
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rule — government
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rest — what's left
  18. swing — to play on

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