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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 120 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: mark · fall · ball · fan · pitcher · calf · swing · chip

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. chip — for betting
  7. ball — a dance
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fall — to drop
  14. swing — music
  15. fall — to drop
  16. chip — to eat
  17. fall — the season
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fan — a supporter

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