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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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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: bore · arm · squash · pound · stick · mark · swing · suit

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. swing — to play on
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. swing — music
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bore — to tire
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mark — a grade
  14. suit — clothes
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bore — to drill
  20. suit — in cards
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bore — gave birth

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