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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: stand · board · bulb · lie · cue · swing · mine · chest

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cue — for pool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chest — of your body
  7. swing — in golf
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lie — to recline
  12. chest — of your body
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. swing — music
  20. chest — a box
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cue — a hint
  24. stand — on your feet

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