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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stand — to bear
  3. board — to get on
  4. club — for golf
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. spell — magic
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. swing — to play on
  12. current — electric
  13. swing — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. spell — letters
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — a group
  18. ball — a dance
  19. current — of water
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. current — happening now
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. swing — in golf
  24. spell — a short time

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