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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 116 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 · land · cabinet · fan · mark · spell · can · coach

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. can — a tin
  6. mark — a trace
  7. land — ground
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mark — a grade
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. spell — a short time
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. spell — magic
  18. land — a country
  19. spell — letters
  20. can — a tin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. swing — in golf
  23. land — to come down
  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