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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: bowl · swing · bear · staff · toast · present

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. present — a gift
  2. swing — music
  3. staff — employees
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. staff — a stick
  7. present — the time now
  8. swing — to play on
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bear — the animal
  11. present — there
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. swing — in golf
  14. toast — bread
  15. staff — employees
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  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