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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: swing · scale · present · ball · wave · lash · fine · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. fine — all right
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. swing — in golf
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. scale — size or range
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. ball — a dance
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fine — high quality
  22. scale — in music
  23. board — to get on
  24. swing — music

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