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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: board · suit · fine · swing · shower · land · foot · jam

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. board — to get on
  6. shower — to wash
  7. land — ground
  8. foot — a measure
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. suit — to fit
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. swing — to play on
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. shower — rain
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fine — high quality
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. fine — all right
  20. land — a country
  21. board — a committee
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. land — to come down
  24. suit — clothes

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