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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rush — hurry
  3. cap — a lid
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. swing — in golf
  7. board — a committee
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. swing — to play on
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. swing — music
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cap — of ice
  17. row — a line
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. row — to paddle
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. board — to get on
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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