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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. kick — in football
  3. field — farmland
  4. swing — in golf
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. field — for sport
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. prune — to trim
  14. board — a committee
  15. swing — music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. board — to get on
  22. field — a subject
  23. prune — to trim
  24. swing — to play on

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