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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 120 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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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: saw · temple · bat · swing · board · craft · deal · cue

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. board — to get on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. saw — the tool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. swing — to play on
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. cue — for pool
  9. craft — boats
  10. swing — music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. craft — a skill
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. board — a committee
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cue — a hint
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. temple — side of the head

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