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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. swing — music
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. swing — in golf
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. capital — a city
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. swing — to play on
  13. board — to get on
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. capital — money
  16. chip — for betting
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. club — a group
  21. board — a committee
  22. club — for dancing
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chip — to eat

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