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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. board — a committee
  6. chip — to eat
  7. land — ground
  8. land — to come down
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bass — low music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. land — a country
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bass — the fish
  16. kick — in football
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. chip — for betting
  19. swing — music
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. board — to get 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