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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.

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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 · rule · kid · file · bowl · object · last · stick

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. swing — in golf
  3. object — a thing
  4. last — final
  5. kid — child
  6. object — an aim
  7. file — a tool
  8. rule — a law
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. object — to protest
  14. file — a line of people
  15. rule — government
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. last — to go on
  24. file — a document

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