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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mark — a grade
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. foot — a measure
  6. swing — in golf
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bulb — for light
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. swing — music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. board — to get on
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. mark — a trace
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. foot — the bottom

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