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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: pitcher · mug · pop · wave · mark · trunk · sharp · rush

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pop — to visit
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pop — soda
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mug — a face
  11. mark — a grade
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pop — music
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mug — to rob
  23. rush — hurry
  24. sharp — with an edge

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