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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: track · pound · bulb · straw · jam · dip · toast · swing

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. track — a song
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. swing — music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pound — a weight
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. toast — bread
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. dip — to sink
  20. track — to keep track
  21. swing — to play on
  22. track — a path
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. straw — dry grass

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