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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: track · swing · lie · spell · bowl · coach · fan · wind

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. spell — letters
  4. track — a path
  5. spell — magic
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. swing — to play on
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. swing — music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. track — a song
  19. swing — in golf
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wind — moving air
  23. track — to keep track
  24. wind — moving air

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