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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. swing — in golf
  5. club — for golf
  6. board — to get on
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. swing — music
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. club — for dancing
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. degree — from a university
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. board — a committee
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. club — a group
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fine — high quality

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