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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: fan · board · ruler · bowl · mark · swing · bay · hand

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. board — to get on
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. board — a committee
  11. hand — help
  12. swing — music
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mark — a grade
  21. hand — in cards
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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