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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. swing — music
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. firm — steady
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. object — a thing
  12. firm — a company
  13. object — an aim
  14. firm — decided
  15. rule — a law
  16. degree — from a university
  17. wake — a trail
  18. swing — to play on
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rule — government
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. swing — in golf

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