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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: straw · mouse · stem · bowl · stick · suit · calf · swing

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. swing — to play on
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. stem — to come from
  5. swing — music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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