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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 · toast · fan · nail · court · roll · swing · pitch

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. swing — music
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. court — of a king
  6. roll — a list
  7. court — of law
  8. swing — in golf
  9. board — to get on
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. swing — to play on
  12. board — a committee
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. roll — a cake
  15. toast — bread
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. court — for sport
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pitch — completely

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