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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 116 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. swing — to play on
  3. rush — hurry
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. suit — clothes
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. charge — a price
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pound — a weight
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wound — an injury
  20. charge — in control
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pitch — completely
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. swing — music

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