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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: swing · mouse · spell · kick · track · prune · rock · saw

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. swing — to play on
  4. track — to keep track
  5. swing — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. spell — magic
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. spell — a short time
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. track — a song
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. track — a path
  19. spell — letters
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rock — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. kick — in football
  24. prune — to trim

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