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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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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: foot · bowl · kid · bear · wound · swing · firm · fine

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fine — high quality
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. swing — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kid — to tease
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. firm — decided
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. foot — a measure
  13. kid — child
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. swing — in golf
  17. fine — all right
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. swing — to play on
  20. firm — a company
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. firm — steady
  24. bear — the 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