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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. board — to get on
  3. ball — a great time
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bank — for money
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bank — for money
  9. cold — not warm
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. swing — music
  14. drill — army training
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. board — a committee
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cold — an illness
  22. drill — the tool
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bank — of a river

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