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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: mug · scale · rush · swing · last · dip · deal · bay

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mug — to rob
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. last — final
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rush — hurry
  10. last — finally
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. swing — music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. last — to go on
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mug — a face
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. scale — in music
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. swing — to play on

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