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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: swing · bowl · rule · lie · straw · toast

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. swing — to play on
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. swing — music
  8. rule — government
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. swing — in golf
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. lie — to recline

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