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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: board · rush · coach · mark · snap · saw · swing · suit

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. swing — music
  4. rush — hurry
  5. snap — to click
  6. suit — clothes
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. swing — in golf
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. board — a committee
  13. swing — to play on
  14. suit — to fit
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. saw — the tool
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. suit — in cards
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mark — a grade
  24. saw — the tool

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