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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 120 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: fan · rock · board · bore · fine · wake · ball · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fine — all right
  5. rock — a stone
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. board — a committee
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. board — to get on
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rock — music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bore — to drill
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. fine — high quality

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