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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. band — a music group
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. spell — a short time
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pop — to visit
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. band — a ring
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pop — music
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pop — soda

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