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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: arm · present · mouse · bear · pound · swing · stick · kid

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kid — child
  5. swing — music
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — to play on
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pound — a weight
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. kid — to tease
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. present — a gift
  24. bear — to put up with

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