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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: board · current · bore · bowl · stem · fork · swing · cap

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bore — to tire
  3. current — electric
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. swing — to play on
  7. current — of water
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. fork — in a road
  11. board — a committee
  12. bore — to drill
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. swing — music
  19. cap — a lid
  20. current — happening now
  21. board — to get on
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bore — gave birth

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