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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: drill · swing · board · bear · tear · stock · chair · jam

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. drill — army training
  5. tear — to rip
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. board — a committee
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. stock — shares
  12. swing — to play on
  13. board — to get on
  14. tear — from crying
  15. drill — the tool
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. drill — a practice
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bear — the animal
  21. tear — from crying
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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