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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. kick — in football
  3. spring — a coil
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mark — a trace
  6. shower — rain
  7. swing — music
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rush — hurry
  11. swing — in golf
  12. spring — the season
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. swing — to play on
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. suit — to fit
  20. spring — of water
  21. mark — a grade
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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