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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. track — a song
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fall — the season
  6. swing — music
  7. board — a committee
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. track — to keep track
  11. fall — to drop
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fall — to drop
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. track — a path
  18. board — to get on
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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