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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: spring · snap · trunk · board · rock · leaves · swing · suit

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rock — a stone
  3. spring — of water
  4. swing — music
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. suit — in cards
  7. spring — the season
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. swing — to play on
  10. board — a committee
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rock — music
  14. suit — clothes
  15. spring — a coil
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. suit — to fit
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. snap — to click
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. swing — in golf
  23. rock — to move gently
  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