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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. deal — to handle
  4. swing — music
  5. board — a committee
  6. net — after costs
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rash — hasty
  13. game — a match
  14. staff — employees
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. staff — employees
  19. swing — to play on
  20. wax — to grow
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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