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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. roll — a list
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. board — a committee
  5. roll — a cake
  6. board — to get on
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. club — a group
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. season — of the year
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pit — in a race
  17. season — in sport
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. swing — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. club — for golf

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