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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: file · swing · mug · club · mate · trunk · bore · suit

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. mate — a friend
  6. club — a group
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. file — a document
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bore — to tire
  13. swing — to play on
  14. file — a tool
  15. swing — in golf
  16. club — for golf
  17. suit — clothes
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. file — a line of people
  20. mate — a partner
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. swing — music
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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