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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: cap · mate · prune · swing · saw · arm · mark · rush

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cap — a hat
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cap — of ice
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. swing — in golf
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rush — hurry
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mate — a friend
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mark — a trace
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cap — a lid
  24. prune — the fruit

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