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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitch — completely
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. board — to get on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. board — a committee
  8. rule — a law
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. date — the fruit
  11. swing — music
  12. rule — government
  13. firm — decided
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bass — low music
  16. firm — steady
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bass — the fish
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. firm — a company
  22. deal — to handle
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. board — a flat piece

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