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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
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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 · swing · mouse · rush · bay · field · temple · prune

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. swing — in golf
  5. field — a subject
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. board — to get on
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. swing — music
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. field — farmland
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. board — a committee
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rush — hurry
  21. swing — to play on
  22. field — for sport
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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