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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 120 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 help me carry this box?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. swing — music
  3. board — a committee
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. capital — a city
  8. mate — to breed
  9. can — a tin
  10. mate — a friend
  11. deal — to handle
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. swing — in golf
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. swing — to play on
  19. capital — money
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. lie — to recline
  23. can — a tin
  24. mate — a partner

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