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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. swing — in golf
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. tube — a container
  6. swing — music
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bank — for money
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bank — of a river
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ball — a dance
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. swing — to play on
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — in cards
  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