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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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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. hand — in cards
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. lie — to recline
  6. swing — music
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. prune — to trim
  11. band — a music group
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. swing — to play on
  19. band — a ring
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. stand — to bear

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