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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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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: mug · board · squash · bank · fine · swing · land · pound

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — the sport
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bank — of a river
  5. swing — in golf
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bank — for money
  8. fine — all right
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. land — ground
  14. bank — for money
  15. board — to get on
  16. land — a country
  17. mug — a face
  18. swing — to play on
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. swing — music
  21. land — to come down
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. fine — high quality
  24. board — a committee

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