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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 116 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: mate · rash · spring · bay · fork · calf · swing · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. spring — the season
  4. mate — a friend
  5. board — to get on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. board — a committee
  9. swing — to play on
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mate — to breed
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. spring — of water
  23. rash — on the skin
  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