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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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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: cabinet · bay · swing · band · saw · rest · suit · bat

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bat — the animal
  12. swing — music
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rest — a break
  15. suit — clothes
  16. band — a music group
  17. rest — what's left
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. band — a ring
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. swing — to play on

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