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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: kick · bowl · squash · swing · track · nail · suit · tear

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. swing — to play on
  7. suit — clothes
  8. kick — in football
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. track — to keep track
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. track — a path
  18. swing — music
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. squash — the sport
  22. swing — in golf
  23. squash — to crush
  24. kick — a thrill

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