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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. drill — army training
  10. chip — for betting
  11. plane — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chair — a leader
  14. swing — in golf
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lie — to recline
  17. drill — a practice
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. drill — the tool
  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