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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 · fine · kick · bass · date · pit · straw · swing

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. board — a committee
  4. date — the fruit
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fine — all right
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. swing — in golf
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. swing — music
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a hole
  20. swing — to play on
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. board — to get on
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. kick — with a leg

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