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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: fan · season · swing · deal · board · calf · bore · chip

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. swing — to play on
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bore — to drill
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. season — of the year
  14. board — to get on
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. season — in sport
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. board — a committee

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