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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. board — to get on
  3. ball — a great time
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. object — a thing
  7. cue — for pool
  8. swing — to play on
  9. fork — in a road
  10. swing — music
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. object — to protest
  13. ball — a dance
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cue — a signal
  18. board — a committee
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. object — an aim
  24. cue — a hint

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