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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. track — to keep track
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. swing — in golf
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. swing — music
  12. root — of a plant
  13. board — to get on
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. suit — in cards
  19. root — of a word
  20. board — a committee
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — music
  24. root — the cause

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