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

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. rest — what's left
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rest — what's left
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. board — to get on
  8. rest — a break
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. tube — a container
  12. kid — child
  13. pop — music
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. swing — to play on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pop — soda
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pop — to visit
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. board — a committee
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. tube — the underground

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