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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
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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: pound · can · jam · lie · degree · fall · swing · ball

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. degree — an amount
  3. pound — a weight
  4. can — to be able to
  5. lie — to recline
  6. fall — to drop
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. fall — the season
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. degree — from a university
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. ball — a dance
  16. swing — music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. fall — to drop
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. degree — temperature

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