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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: calf · lean · board · wind · march · swing · mug · rest

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. swing — music
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. board — a committee
  5. lean — thin
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. board — to get on
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. march — music
  11. mug — to rob
  12. march — the month
  13. mug — a cup
  14. swing — in golf
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. swing — to play on
  18. lean — to bend
  19. mug — a face
  20. march — the month
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rest — what's left

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