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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: bowl · cell · deal · swing · fan · fine · stick · pop

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pop — soda
  3. swing — music
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fine — all right
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. swing — in golf
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. swing — to play on

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