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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 · cabinet · mark · spell · bowl · rash · toast · pit

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rash — a series
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — bread
  6. swing — music
  7. spell — magic
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. spell — a short time
  10. swing — to play on
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mark — a trace
  16. swing — in golf
  17. spell — letters
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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