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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: leaves · swing · mug · pop · squash · pitcher · cabinet · bore

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pop — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pop — soda
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bore — to drill
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mug — a face
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. squash — to crush
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — music
  24. mug — to rob

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