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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. ground — the earth
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rule — a law
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rule — government
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. ground — crushed
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. board — a committee
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. board — to get on
  24. ground — a position

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