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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: rest · kid · club · present · swing · ruler · cell · suit

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cell — in biology
  5. club — a group
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rest — a break
  8. swing — music
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rest — what's left
  11. kid — to tease
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. club — for dancing
  14. present — there
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cell — a phone
  18. present — the time now
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. swing — to play on
  23. present — a gift
  24. club — for golf

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