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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · club · bay · stick · suit · wind

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. board — a committee
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wind — moving air
  12. club — for golf
  13. board — to get on
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. club — a group
  18. wind — moving air

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