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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: snap · season · file · swing · can · bowl · squash · nail

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. can — a tin
  3. file — a line of people
  4. swing — music
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. can — a tin
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. season — of the year
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. file — a document
  12. season — in sport
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — to crush
  16. file — a tool
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. squash — the sport
  19. swing — to play on
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. can — to be able to
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. swing — in golf

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