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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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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: pound · fine · board · chip · stick · saw · bear · swing

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. saw — the tool
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fine — all right
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. board — a committee
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — to get on
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bear — the animal
  20. swing — to play on
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bear — to put up with

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