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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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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: ground · swing · bowl · chair · saw · lash · present · leaves

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. ground — a position
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. swing — music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ground — the earth
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chair — a leader
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. present — there
  20. present — the time now
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. swing — to play on
  24. present — a gift

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