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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: tube · pound · lean · last · mark · saw · swing · calf

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tube — the underground
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. swing — in golf
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. lean — thin
  8. mark — a trace
  9. last — finally
  10. last — to go on
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — music
  17. tube — a container
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lean — to bend
  20. last — final
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — for dogs

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