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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: pop · bay · mug · swing · straw · toast · pound · bark

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. pop — music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pop — to visit
  6. swing — in golf
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. toast — bread
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. mug — a cup
  19. swing — music
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pop — soda
  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