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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. swing — music
  3. hand — help
  4. swing — in golf
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. swing — to play on
  8. kick — in football
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. board — a committee
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mug — a face
  14. rule — a law
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. hand — in cards
  22. rule — government
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pass — a permit

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