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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. cap — a hat
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cap — a lid
  10. scale — size or range
  11. deal — to handle
  12. board — to get on
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. swing — to play on
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. mate — a partner
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cap — of ice
  24. scale — in music

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