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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: squash · dip · swing · track · march · wound · mark · deal

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. wound — an injury
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wound — an injury
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mark — a trace
  7. swing — music
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. squash — to crush
  10. march — music
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. march — the month
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. march — the month
  17. track — to keep track
  18. squash — the sport
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. mark — a grade
  24. deal — to handle

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