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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. board — to get on
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. swing — music
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. chip — to eat
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mate — a partner
  10. ball — a dance
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mate — a friend
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. board — a committee
  16. swing — to play on
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chip — for betting
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chair — a leader
  21. swing — in golf
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. racket — a loud noise

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