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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. object — an aim
  4. rash — hasty
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pop — to visit
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. object — to protest
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — a series
  14. board — a committee
  15. swing — in golf
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pop — music
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. pop — soda
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — an aircraft

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