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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. swing — music
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cue — for pool
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. face — to confront
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. lean — to bend
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cue — a signal
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. board — a committee
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. face — part of the head
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. lean — thin
  23. face — to point toward
  24. cue — a hint

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