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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. swing — music
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fork — in a road
  5. track — a song
  6. wake — a trail
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. wind — moving air
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. wind — moving air
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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