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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: rest · bear · hide · patient · pop · swing · season · kick

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. swing — in golf
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pop — music
  8. rest — what's left
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. season — of the year
  13. pop — to visit
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pop — soda
  16. season — in sport
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — a break
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bear — the animal
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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