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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. kick — in football
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. cue — a signal
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cue — for pool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bank — for money
  16. swing — to play on
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bank — of a river
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. swing — music
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bank — for money

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