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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 · swing · rush · can · pass · band · pitcher · chip

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chip — for betting
  3. band — a music group
  4. mark — a trace
  5. band — a ring
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rush — hurry
  8. swing — to play on
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. swing — music
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. can — a tin

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