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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. board — to get on
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. board — a committee
  7. lean — thin
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rock — a stone
  17. swing — to play on
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pop — music
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. lean — to bend

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