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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bank — for money
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. spell — magic
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. row — a line
  12. spell — letters
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. board — a committee
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. board — to get on
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. swing — music
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. swing — to play on

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