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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mine — for digging
  10. rush — hurry
  11. suit — to fit
  12. craft — boats
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cell — a phone
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cell — in biology
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. craft — a skill
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. swing — to play on
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. swing — music

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