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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. spell — a short time
  3. drill — army training
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. spell — letters
  6. bank — for money
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. net — for catching
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. net — after costs
  11. spell — magic
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mug — a face
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mug — a cup
  17. net — in sport
  18. drill — a practice
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. swing — music
  21. bank — for money
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bank — of a river
  24. mug — to rob

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