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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: hide · suit · swing · track · temple · board · ball · season

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. track — to keep track
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. suit — clothes
  5. board — to get on
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. season — in sport
  8. ball — a great time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. suit — to fit
  13. track — a path
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. track — a song
  18. ball — a dance
  19. season — of the year
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — music
  23. suit — in cards
  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