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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. charge — a price
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. board — to get on
  12. stem — to come from
  13. swing — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. pound — a weight
  16. charge — electricity
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. charge — in control
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. march — the month

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