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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: mark · game · firm · swing · lash · pit · mug · prune

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. game — wild animals
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mug — a cup
  5. firm — decided
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mug — a face
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. game — a match
  11. mark — a grade
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. swing — to play on
  15. firm — a company
  16. swing — in golf
  17. mug — to rob
  18. firm — steady
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. prune — to trim
  24. swing — music

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