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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bank — of a river
  7. content — the amount
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bank — for money
  13. snap — to click
  14. content — happy
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. swing — music
  17. fall — to drop
  18. swing — to play on
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bank — for money

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