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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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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. band — a ring
  10. bear — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bear — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — a price
  22. band — a music group
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. swing — music

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