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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: board · swing · bore · root · stand · band · pitch · fan

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pitch — completely
  7. root — of a word
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. band — a ring
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. swing — music
  18. band — a music group
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. swing — to play on

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