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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. prune — to trim
  5. spell — magic
  6. kid — to tease
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — in cards
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. suit — clothes
  16. kid — child
  17. prune — to trim
  18. spell — letters
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. prune — the fruit

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