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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 120 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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mug — a cup
  4. swing — to play on
  5. foot — a measure
  6. mug — to rob
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. swing — in golf
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. march — the month
  12. swing — music
  13. mug — a face
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tube — a container
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. tube — the underground
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. march — music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. march — the month

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