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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: chair · cue · swing · bear · board · bowl · bank · branch

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. board — to get on
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bank — for money
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. board — a committee
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bank — for money
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cue — a signal
  19. branch — a division
  20. bank — of a river
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. swing — music
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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