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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 120 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: suit · swing · fan · mug · rest · cell · kick · ground

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mug — to rob
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ground — the earth
  5. swing — music
  6. ground — a position
  7. suit — to fit
  8. kick — in football
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. cell — a phone
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. swing — to play on
  18. suit — in cards
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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