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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: mug · can · pitcher · swing · mark · hand · rock · content

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. hand — in cards
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mark — a grade
  5. content — happy
  6. swing — in golf
  7. mark — a trace
  8. swing — to play on
  9. content — the amount
  10. rock — music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. can — a tin
  15. swing — music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. can — a tin
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. hand — help
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rock — a 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