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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: swing · pit · bore · game · chip · snap · calf · rush

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. swing — to play on
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. swing — in golf
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rush — hurry
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — to tire
  21. game — a match
  22. snap — to click
  23. bore — to drill
  24. pit — in a race

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