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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · swing · object · present · kick · band · mug · fan

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. band — a ring
  4. spell — magic
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mug — to rob
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mug — a cup
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. swing — in golf
  11. object — an aim
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. object — a thing
  14. kick — in football
  15. mug — a face
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. swing — music
  18. band — a music group
  19. spell — letters
  20. object — to protest
  21. spell — a short time
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. present — a gift
  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