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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 116 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: calf · snap · bowl · rule · swing · wound · kid · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — to tease
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. kid — child
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mug — to rob
  14. swing — in golf
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rule — government
  17. swing — music
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. rule — a law
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bowl — a dish
  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