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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · sharp · bat · leaves · mark · chest · rest · swing

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. chest — a box
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bat — the animal
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rest — a break
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mark — a trace
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — clever
  18. spell — magic
  19. swing — music
  20. spell — letters
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. chest — of your body

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