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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: tube · racket · swing · staff · kid · snap · perch · plane

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. kid — child
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. plane — a tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. perch — the fish
  16. swing — to play on
  17. staff — employees
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. staff — a stick
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. staff — employees
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — to tease

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