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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.

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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 · mark · present · mouse · bat · kick · kid · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mark — a trace
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. swing — music
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. kid — to tease
  24. kick — in football

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