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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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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: pound · calf · swing · racket · rule · wind · board · stand

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stand — to bear
  4. swing — music
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pound — a weight
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rule — a law
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rule — government
  12. swing — in golf
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. board — to get on
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. board — a committee
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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