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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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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — to paddle
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. swing — music
  6. face — to confront
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. face — part of the head
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stand — to bear
  16. capital — money
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. chip — to eat
  20. capital — a city
  21. face — to point toward
  22. row — a line
  23. stand — on your feet
  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