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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pound — a weight
  16. board — to get on
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — for betting
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. board — a committee
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — music
  24. can — to be able to

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