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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. club — a group
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. swing — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bat — the animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. club — for golf
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. club — for dancing

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