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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. pop — to visit
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. roll — a cake
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rest — what's left
  9. suit — in cards
  10. field — farmland
  11. pop — music
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. rest — a break
  14. staff — employees
  15. board — a committee
  16. field — for sport
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pop — soda
  20. board — to get on
  21. prune — to trim
  22. roll — a list
  23. suit — to fit
  24. field — a subject

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