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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. swing — in golf
  3. squash — the sport
  4. snap — to click
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mark — a grade
  7. content — happy
  8. mark — a trace
  9. squash — to crush
  10. net — in sport
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. content — the amount
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. saw — the tool
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — for catching
  19. pass — a permit
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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