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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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Word bank
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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: jam · mark · swing · mug · mouse · season · hand · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mug — to rob
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. mark — a grade
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — to play on
  12. hand — help
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. mark — a trace
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — of the year
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mug — a cup
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bear — the animal

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