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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: wind · swing · ground · mug · tube · object · toast · rush

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ground — crushed
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. ground — the earth
  5. tube — a container
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. ground — a position
  16. mug — a cup
  17. tube — the underground
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. object — to protest
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mug — a face
  22. rush — hurry
  23. toast — bread
  24. wind — to turn a key

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