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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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468
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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. swing — music
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — to fit
  9. swing — in golf
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — a hole
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. swing — to play on
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. squash — the sport
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. temple — side of the head

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