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

Word bank: swing · kick · pass · racket · snap · firm

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. swing — in golf
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. firm — decided
  9. snap — to click
  10. swing — music
  11. pass — a permit
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time

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