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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. cue — a hint
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. prune — to trim
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. cue — a signal
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — music
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cue — for pool
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. swing — in golf
  24. wave — with your hand

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