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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: tube · game · board · nail · suit · snap · current · swing

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. board — a committee
  3. current — of water
  4. game — a match
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. swing — in golf
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. board — to get on
  9. current — electric
  10. suit — in cards
  11. current — happening now
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. swing — to play on
  14. suit — to fit
  15. tube — the underground
  16. game — wild animals
  17. swing — music
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. snap — to click
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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