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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rule — government
  5. board — to get on
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rule — a law
  11. swing — in golf
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rest — what's left
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. swing — to play on
  21. prune — to trim
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bass — low music
  24. deal — a big deal

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