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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. rule — a law
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. shower — rain
  9. lean — to bend
  10. foot — a measure
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. board — a committee
  14. lean — thin
  15. shower — to wash
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — in golf
  23. rule — government
  24. foot — the bottom

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