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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. mark — a grade
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bass — low music
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. net — in sport
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — music
  15. net — after costs
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mug — a face
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. net — for catching
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. foot — a measure

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