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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · shower · stick · date · roll · deal · coach · fan

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. deal — to handle
  5. swing — music
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — in golf
  10. date — the fruit
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. roll — a cake
  16. shower — to wash
  17. swing — to play on
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. shower — rain
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. roll — a list

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