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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. swing — to play on
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — music
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. ball — a great time
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. ball — a dance
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. board — to get on
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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