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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pop — music
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. season — of the year
  6. board — a committee
  7. club — a group
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. club — for golf
  15. stand — to bear
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. club — for dancing
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pop — soda
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. row — a line
  24. ruler — for measuring

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