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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: mark · race · perch · craft · swing · drill · pop · roll

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. roll — a list
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pop — soda
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — a contest
  12. drill — army training
  13. swing — music
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mark — a trace
  16. drill — the tool
  17. swing — to play on
  18. craft — boats
  19. mark — a grade
  20. drill — a practice
  21. craft — a skill
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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