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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 116 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. swing — to play on
  4. hand — help
  5. swing — music
  6. hand — in cards
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. present — the time now
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. present — there
  15. fine — all right
  16. cell — a phone
  17. fine — high quality
  18. present — a gift
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. board — a committee
  21. swing — in golf
  22. cell — in biology
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. stand — to bear

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