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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 · kick · ball · stick · fan · craft · snap · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. craft — boats
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. swing — music
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. ball — a great time
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. kick — in football
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rock — music
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. snap — to click
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. craft — a skill
  22. swing — to play on
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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