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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. prune — to trim
  3. swing — to play on
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. swing — music
  7. bass — low music
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. swing — in golf
  11. prune — to trim
  12. board — to get on
  13. ball — a great time
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bass — the fish
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — a contest
  22. stand — to bear
  23. board — a committee
  24. rush — to hurry

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