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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 · suit · bore · jam · row · prune · deal · fan

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. swing — in golf
  4. suit — to fit
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. prune — to trim
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. row — to paddle
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bore — to tire
  13. swing — music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. swing — to play on
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. deal — to handle
  19. row — a line
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bore — to drill
  24. deal — a big deal

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