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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — soda
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pop — music
  6. swing — music
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tube — a container
  10. capital — a city
  11. rash — a series
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rash — hasty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. tube — the underground
  22. board — a committee
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. capital — money

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