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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
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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: rash · stick · suit · swing · jam · mine · lean · present

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rash — a series
  3. present — there
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mine — for digging
  8. lean — to bend
  9. present — a gift
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. suit — clothes
  14. swing — in golf
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. suit — to fit
  17. swing — music
  18. present — the time now
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. lean — thin
  21. swing — to play on
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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