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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: fall · swing · club · chair · toast · rock · rest · deal

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for golf
  4. swing — music
  5. fall — to drop
  6. swing — in golf
  7. chair — a leader
  8. club — for dancing
  9. swing — to play on
  10. deal — to handle
  11. toast — bread
  12. rock — music
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rest — a break
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fall — the season
  22. rock — a stone
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. fall — to drop

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