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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: court · lean · roll · ruler · swing · dip · fork · trunk

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. lean — thin
  3. court — of law
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. roll — a list
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. swing — music
  16. fork — in a road
  17. court — of a king
  18. lean — to bend
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. court — for sport
  23. roll — a cake
  24. swing — to play on

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