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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: board · trunk · perch · stick · row · swing · present · suit

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. board — a committee
  3. swing — in golf
  4. present — a gift
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. present — there
  13. swing — to play on
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. suit — in cards
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. suit — clothes
  19. row — a line
  20. present — the time now
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. board — to get on
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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