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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: rush · band · saw · wound · swing · mug · jam · club

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. mug — a cup
  3. swing — to play on
  4. wound — an injury
  5. saw — the tool
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. mug — a face
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. club — for dancing
  10. band — a music group
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mug — to rob
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. club — for golf
  18. swing — music
  19. club — a group
  20. rush — hurry
  21. band — a ring
  22. swing — in golf
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wound — an injury

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