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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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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: swing · squash · hide · fine · march · root · current · rest

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rest — what's left
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. march — the month
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. march — the month
  9. rest — a break
  10. current — of water
  11. fine — high quality
  12. root — the cause
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. current — electric
  17. march — music
  18. current — happening now
  19. root — of a word
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. swing — in golf
  22. root — of a plant
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. squash — the sport

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