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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: saw · swing · rest · bore · mug · pitch · tube · rash

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bore — to drill
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mug — a face
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mug — a cup
  19. tube — a container
  20. swing — music
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. swing — to play on
  23. mug — to rob
  24. rest — what's left

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