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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 124 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bank — for money
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wound — an injury
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. drill — a practice
  14. swing — to play on
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bank — for money
  19. kick — in football
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bank — of a river
  22. drill — army training
  23. prune — to trim
  24. drill — the tool

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