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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: board · jam · game · suit · fine · cabinet · swing · foot

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. jam — to spread on bread
  2. game — a match
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. swing — music
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. foot — a measure
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. fine — all right
  10. swing — in golf
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fine — high quality
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. game — wild animals
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. board — to get on
  20. suit — to fit
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. board — a flat piece
  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