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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. field — for sport
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. degree — temperature
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — from a university
  14. swing — in golf
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. swing — to play on
  18. shower — rain
  19. field — farmland
  20. swing — music
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. kick — in football
  23. field — a subject
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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