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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: swing · cue · pit · can · fork · board · ground · snap

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. can — a tin
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pit — in a race
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. board — a committee
  9. snap — to click
  10. fork — in a road
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pit — a hole
  17. can — a tin
  18. cue — for pool
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. swing — music
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. board — to get 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