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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: swing · suit · present · rush · kick · lean · ball · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. suit — in cards
  3. kick — in football
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lean — thin
  7. swing — music
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. roll — a cake
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lean — to bend
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. ball — a great time
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — to play on
  22. rush — hurry
  23. present — the time now
  24. roll — a list

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