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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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · mug · rush · coach · bass · swing · lean · court

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. court — for sport
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mug — a face
  5. swing — to play on
  6. lean — thin
  7. bass — the fish
  8. court — of a king
  9. can — a tin
  10. court — of law
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rush — hurry
  17. can — a tin
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mug — to rob
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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