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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mug — a face
  3. can — a tin
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rock — music
  6. band — a ring
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rock — a stone
  9. band — a music group
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mug — a cup
  12. dip — to sink
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mine — for digging
  15. deal — to handle
  16. swing — music
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. mine — belonging to me

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