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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 116 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. swing — in golf
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mug — a face
  6. pop — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. firm — a company
  11. pop — to visit
  12. land — ground
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. board — a committee
  17. land — a country
  18. mug — a cup
  19. land — to come down
  20. swing — music
  21. firm — decided
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pop — soda
  24. board — to get on

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