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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: swing · chair · toast · pop · game · pit · rush · pound

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. swing — music
  3. pit — in a race
  4. toast — bread
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. game — wild animals
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pop — music
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. pound — a weight
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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