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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: racket · bowl · lean · arm · swing · rule · mark · cap

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mark — a trace
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. lean — to bend
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cap — of ice
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. swing — to play on
  21. cap — a hat
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cap — a lid
  24. lean — thin

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