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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: game · bay · cell · swing · stick · ball · bank · bowl

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. swing — music
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cell — a phone
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. game — wild animals
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bank — for money
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bank — for money
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. swing — in golf
  20. game — a match
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. game — a kind of play

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