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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. tube — the underground
  3. track — a path
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. drill — the tool
  6. board — a committee
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. swing — in golf
  11. chip — for betting
  12. track — to keep track
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. drill — army training
  16. swing — to play on
  17. drill — a practice
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. chip — to eat
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. tube — a container
  22. swing — music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. board — to get 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