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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. lean — thin
  4. can — a tin
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. swing — to play on
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. can — to be able to
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a word
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. board — a committee
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. board — to get on
  21. can — a tin
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — of a plant

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