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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.

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: spell · fine · tear · swing · pitcher · chair · jam · board

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. chair — a leader
  3. swing — music
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. swing — in golf
  6. fine — all right
  7. spell — letters
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. board — to get on
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. fine — high quality
  13. spell — magic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. tear — from crying
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. tear — from crying
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. swing — to play on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. spell — a short time
  22. board — a committee
  23. tear — to rip
  24. board — a flat piece

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