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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. land — a country
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bank — of a river
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. board — to get on
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. swing — music
  11. land — ground
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. land — to come down
  18. board — a committee
  19. bank — for money
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bank — for money

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