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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: rash · swing · current · suit · racket · clip · ground · board

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. current — of water
  3. clip — to cut
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rash — a series
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rash — hasty
  8. suit — to fit
  9. current — happening now
  10. suit — in cards
  11. board — to get on
  12. ground — the earth
  13. current — electric
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. clip — a video
  16. board — a committee
  17. swing — to play on
  18. suit — clothes
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ground — a position
  21. swing — music
  22. ground — crushed
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. clip — for paper

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