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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. cell — a phone
  3. pop — to visit
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. root — of a word
  6. content — the amount
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cell — in biology
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. content — happy
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. root — the cause
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pop — soda
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. board — a committee
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. pop — music
  21. board — to get on
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. swing — music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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