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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: leaves · board · fine · clip · swing · spell · cap · pit

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cap — of ice
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. swing — to play on
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cap — a lid
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. spell — letters
  12. board — to get on
  13. spell — magic
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. spell — a short time
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fine — all right
  18. pit — a hole
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. board — a committee
  22. swing — music
  23. pit — in a race
  24. clip — to cut

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