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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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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: sharp · object · kick · saw · shower · board · spell · swing

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. shower — to wash
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. object — to protest
  5. spell — a short time
  6. shower — rain
  7. swing — music
  8. spell — letters
  9. saw — the tool
  10. swing — in golf
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — an aim
  15. board — to get on
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. kick — in football
  20. saw — the tool
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. sharp — clever
  23. spell — magic
  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