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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. board — a committee
  3. pop — music
  4. rock — music
  5. stock — shares
  6. swing — to play on
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rock — a stone
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. lean — thin
  11. swing — music
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. swing — in golf
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pop — to visit
  20. stock — goods
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pop — soda
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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