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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. swing — in golf
  3. suit — to fit
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. swing — music
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. can — to be able to
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. last — to go on
  14. suit — clothes
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. can — a tin
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. last — finally
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. swing — to play on
  24. last — final

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