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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pop — soda
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lean — thin
  14. rest — a break
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. board — a committee
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. pitch — completely
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pop — music
  24. racket — a loud noise

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