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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 · plane · current · racket · fine · pass · jam · swing

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. current — happening now
  4. fine — high quality
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. current — of water
  8. fine — all right
  9. swing — music
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. current — electric
  16. pass — a permit
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. board — to get on
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. board — a committee
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. jam — in traffic

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