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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. squash — to crush
  4. tube — a container
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stock — shares
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — bread
  13. tube — the underground
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — to play on
  16. squash — the sport
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. board — a committee
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. toast — the most admired

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