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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: ball · stick · dip · clip · swing · trunk · game · bore

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. game — a match
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. game — wild animals
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. clip — to cut
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. ball — a great time
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. dip — to sink
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. clip — a video
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bore — to drill
  24. clip — for paper

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