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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. row — a line
  3. swing — music
  4. press — newspapers
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. roll — a list
  9. scale — size or range
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. scale — in music
  13. board — a committee
  14. press — to push
  15. object — a thing
  16. row — to paddle
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. object — an aim
  19. board — to get on
  20. roll — a cake
  21. swing — to play on
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — to drill

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