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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: stock · bulb · swing · board · bound · saw · calf · fine

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. swing — in golf
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. stock — shares
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bound — tied together
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. board — to get on
  13. bound — obliged
  14. saw — the tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. board — a committee
  18. fine — high quality
  19. swing — to play on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. swing — music
  22. bound — certain
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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