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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: swing · game · lash · suit · ball · craft · rush · calf

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. craft — a skill
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. game — a match
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. game — wild animals
  12. swing — in golf
  13. suit — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. craft — boats
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. suit — clothes
  24. calf — a young animal

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