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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rush · swing · dip · band · mouse · bark · jam · pit

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. dip — to sink
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a music group
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bark — to shout
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. swing — music
  23. rush — hurry
  24. jam — in traffic

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