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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. swing — music
  3. fine — all right
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. root — of a word
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bat — the animal
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. board — to get on
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rock — music
  20. swing — in golf
  21. board — a committee
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. root — the cause
  24. snap — to click

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