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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 · board · mug · kick · tear · bowl · mark · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mug — to rob
  5. swing — in golf
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. swing — music
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. kick — in football
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. tear — from crying
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mark — a trace
  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