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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: bowl · ball · can · prune · club · ruler · kick · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. club — for dancing
  3. swing — music
  4. can — a tin
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. swing — in golf
  7. can — to be able to
  8. prune — to trim
  9. can — a tin
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. club — a group
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ball — a great time
  20. club — for golf
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. ruler — for measuring

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