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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 · straw · toast · kick · band · roll · suit · bear

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. swing — music
  3. band — a ring
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. roll — a list
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. kick — in football
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. swing — to play on
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. swing — in golf
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. band — a music group
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. roll — a cake
  23. toast — bread
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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