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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · rash · mouse · last · leaves · scale · present · bowl

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. present — the time now
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. present — there
  9. swing — music
  10. rash — hasty
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. last — finally
  17. present — a gift
  18. swing — in golf
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. scale — in music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. scale — size or range
  24. leaves — lets stay

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