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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · trunk · stand · rest · jam · dip · swing · rush

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. rest — what's left
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rest — what's left
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rest — a break
  11. swing — to play on
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. kick — in football
  18. rush — hurry
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. dip — to sink
  22. swing — music
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. kick — with a leg

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