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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. spell — a short time
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. suit — clothes
  5. board — to get on
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. board — a committee
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. vault — a safe
  10. lean — thin
  11. cold — an illness
  12. suit — in cards
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. lean — to bend
  19. suit — to fit
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. swing — music
  22. cold — not warm
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lean — to rest against

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