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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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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: toast · nail · swing · fine · bowl · roll

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. swing — music
  5. fine — high quality
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. toast — bread
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bowl — a football final

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