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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: hide · current · fan · temple · game · suit · board · swing

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — in cards
  3. game — wild animals
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. current — happening now
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. swing — in golf
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. current — electric
  13. board — a committee
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. swing — to play on
  22. current — of water
  23. game — a match
  24. swing — music

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