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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: toast · pop · swing · foot · lean · current · deal · hand

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. deal — to handle
  3. current — electric
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pop — to visit
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. lean — to bend
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. current — of water
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. pop — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. pop — soda
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. swing — music
  18. hand — in cards
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lean — thin
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. current — happening now
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. toast — bread

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