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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 · dip · stick · deal · kick · swing

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. dip — to sink
  3. swing — music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. swing — in golf
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. toast — bread
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. swing — to play on
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. dip — a sauce

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