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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. march — the month
  4. swing — in golf
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. board — a committee
  8. swing — music
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bore — to drill
  11. march — music
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bore — to tire
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. march — the month
  21. board — to get on
  22. spell — magic
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. swing — to play 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