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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · arm · stock · board · tube · calf · rest · swing

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. rest — what's left
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stock — shares
  7. rest — a break
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — a committee
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. board — to get on
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. swing — in golf
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stock — goods
  24. board — a flat piece

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