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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · hide · game · toast · swing · trunk · rock · board

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. track — a song
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. board — to get on
  7. rock — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. game — a match
  10. swing — in golf
  11. track — to keep track
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rock — a stone
  16. game — wild animals
  17. track — a path
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. board — a committee
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. swing — music
  23. toast — bread
  24. game — a kind of play

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