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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: jam · swing · mug · bear · cap · rush · rule · hand

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bear — the animal
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. cap — a hat
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rule — government
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. rule — a law
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mug — a cup
  24. swing — music

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