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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: pit · mug · present · trunk · can · root · patient · swing

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mug — a cup
  4. swing — in golf
  5. present — there
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. present — a gift
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. root — of a word
  13. swing — to play on
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. present — the time now
  17. pit — a hole
  18. swing — music
  19. root — the cause
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. mug — a face
  24. pit — in a race

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