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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 · bear · game · track · cell · fall · bore · cabinet

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. track — a song
  3. swing — in golf
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — wild animals
  6. track — to keep track
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. swing — music
  17. fall — the season
  18. track — a path
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. fall — to drop
  21. game — a match
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cell — a phone
  24. fall — to drop

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