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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. tube — a container
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pop — to visit
  10. swing — in golf
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rest — a break
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. pop — soda
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. swing — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pop — music

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