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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 120 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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mark — a grade
  4. board — a committee
  5. firm — a company
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. firm — decided
  9. swing — music
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. present — a gift
  12. board — to get on
  13. rule — a law
  14. firm — steady
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mark — a trace
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. present — there
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. march — music
  23. present — the time now
  24. rule — government

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