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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. board — to get on
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pop — soda
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. root — the cause
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. swing — in golf
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. root — of a word
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pop — music
  19. board — a committee
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. swing — music

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