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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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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: clip · foot · swing · board · ruler · hand · club · stick

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. clip — for paper
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. swing — music
  7. club — for golf
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. board — a committee
  10. club — a group
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. swing — in golf
  15. foot — a measure
  16. clip — to cut
  17. hand — help
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. hand — in cards
  20. swing — to play on
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. board — to get on
  23. clip — a video
  24. club — for dancing

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