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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 120 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
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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: swing · mouse · bowl · stick · ball · dip · coach · bat

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. swing — music
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bat — the animal
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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