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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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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. clip — a video
  3. suit — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. clip — for paper
  6. suit — clothes
  7. swing — music
  8. drill — a practice
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. drill — the tool
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mug — a face
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. clip — to cut
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. drill — army training
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. swing — to play on
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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