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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · trunk · dip · pound · hide · ball

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ball — a dance
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. swing — to play on
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. swing — music
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pound — a weight
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ball — a great time
  18. dip — to sink

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