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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: swing · degree · cap · board · leaves · date · jam · bay

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. swing — to play on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cap — a lid
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. degree — from a university
  12. cap — a hat
  13. board — a committee
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. board — to get on
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — temperature
  20. cap — of ice
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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