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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.

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: snap · mate · face · tube · object · rush · swing · mug

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. object — an aim
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. object — a thing
  7. snap — to click
  8. face — part of the head
  9. tube — a container
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. face — to confront
  13. object — to protest
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mug — a cup
  16. swing — in golf
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mug — to rob
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mug — a face

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