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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. swing — music
  3. mug — a face
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mark — a trace
  13. dip — to sink
  14. charge — a price
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. swing — in golf
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. charge — in control
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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