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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. saw — the tool
  8. field — a subject
  9. clip — a video
  10. clip — for paper
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. saw — the tool
  13. clip — to cut
  14. field — for sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. pop — to visit
  19. board — a committee
  20. field — farmland
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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