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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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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: object · wound · board · swing · calf · cap · bowl · dip

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. object — to protest
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. board — a committee
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. board — to get on
  11. object — an aim
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. object — a thing
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cap — of ice
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. swing — to play on
  23. dip — to sink
  24. calf — a young animal

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