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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. board — a committee
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. bank — for money
  5. squash — to crush
  6. degree — from a university
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. saw — the tool
  10. perch — the fish
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bank — for money
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bank — of a river
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. degree — temperature
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. squash — the sport
  23. degree — an amount
  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