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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 120 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: swing · bay · mug · pop · pitcher · suit · vault · nail

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. mug — a face
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — music
  12. pop — music
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. suit — in cards
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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