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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
468
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 · mouse · calf · game · key · date · lie · bowl

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. key — in music
  4. date — the fruit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. key — for a lock
  9. swing — in golf
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. swing — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. game — wild animals
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. game — a match
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bowl — a football final

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