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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wound — an injury
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. wound — an injury
  6. swing — in golf
  7. rest — a break
  8. rock — a stone
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. board — a committee
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rest — what's left
  14. season — of the year
  15. rush — hurry
  16. craft — boats
  17. swing — to play on
  18. season — in sport
  19. rest — what's left
  20. swing — music
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. board — to get on
  24. craft — a skill

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