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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: mark · bay · pop · lash · cap · clip · swing · rush

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. clip — to cut
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pop — to visit
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pop — soda
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — a video
  14. mark — a grade
  15. swing — music
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. swing — in golf
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. lash — an eyelash

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