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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 · snap · stand · last · roll · swing · lean · dip

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. dip — to sink
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stand — to bear
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. roll — a list
  9. swing — in golf
  10. last — finally
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lean — to bend
  14. last — final
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. snap — to click
  17. swing — music
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. board — a committee
  20. lean — thin
  21. roll — a cake
  22. board — to get on
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. dip — to dunk

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