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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. swing — music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. chip — to eat
  14. board — to get on
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. board — a committee
  20. rash — a series
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. rash — hasty
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. pitch — completely

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