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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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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: swing · craft · degree · pop · chip · drill · board · bowl

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. drill — a practice
  5. swing — to play on
  6. degree — temperature
  7. pop — music
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. degree — from a university
  10. pop — soda
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. degree — an amount
  16. pop — to visit
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. board — a committee
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. drill — the tool
  24. craft — boats

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