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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.

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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: bark · swing · mug · kid · pitcher · rush · pass · net

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. net — in sport
  4. swing — in golf
  5. kid — child
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pass — a permit
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. net — for catching
  11. bark — to shout
  12. kid — to tease
  13. swing — music
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — to rob
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. net — after costs
  24. pitcher — a jug

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