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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: snap · straw · ball · plane · foot · cabinet · swing · lean

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. plane — a tool
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. snap — to click
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. swing — in golf
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. ball — a great time
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. swing — music
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. foot — a measure
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. swing — to play on

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