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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: bay · bowl · net · shower · lie · band · board · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — in sport
  5. shower — rain
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. swing — music
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. board — a committee
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. board — to get on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. net — after costs
  17. band — a ring
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. band — a music group
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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