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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: stick · game · bear · bowl · mark · file · swing · perch

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. game — wild animals
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. swing — to play on
  9. file — a document
  10. swing — music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. mark — a grade
  17. game — a match
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. swing — in golf

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