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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. swing — music
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pound — a weight
  7. band — a ring
  8. mark — a trace
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. band — a music group
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rock — music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rock — a stone

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