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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 · toast · ball · bound · calf · deal · current · jam

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. current — of water
  3. swing — to play on
  4. toast — bread
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. ball — a great time
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. current — happening now
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — certain
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. swing — in golf
  20. current — electric
  21. swing — music
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bound — tied together
  24. calf — of the leg

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