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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. cue — a hint
  3. root — of a word
  4. ball — a dance
  5. suit — clothes
  6. board — a committee
  7. root — the cause
  8. suit — in cards
  9. object — an aim
  10. ball — a great time
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. object — a thing
  15. swing — in golf
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. swing — music
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cue — for pool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. object — to protest
  22. root — of a plant
  23. cue — a signal
  24. board — to get on

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