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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.

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: squash · wound · pitch · swing · board · stock · stand · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. wound — an injury
  3. board — a committee
  4. swing — music
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. file — a document
  11. stock — goods
  12. squash — to crush
  13. board — to get on
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stock — shares
  17. swing — to play on
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. file — a line of people
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. swing — in golf
  24. stand — to bear

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