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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: swing · wake · wound · pop · bay · pass · chip · board

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wound — an injury
  4. swing — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pop — soda
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wound — an injury
  12. swing — in golf
  13. board — a committee
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pop — music
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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