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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: suit · swing · bay · calf · bowl · field · tube · pitcher

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. swing — to play on
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. field — a subject
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. tube — a container
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. suit — in cards
  12. field — for sport
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. field — farmland
  21. tube — the underground
  22. suit — to fit
  23. swing — music
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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