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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: pit · swing · mug · lash · wake · coach · arm · track

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pit — a hole
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. swing — music
  7. track — a path
  8. mug — a face
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mug — to rob
  13. swing — in golf
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. track — a song
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mug — a cup
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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