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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. can — a tin
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. swing — in golf
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. swing — music
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rash — hasty
  12. can — a tin
  13. snap — to click
  14. swing — to play on
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rash — a series
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bass — low 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