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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: band · coach · firm · rush · clip · squash · rest · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. clip — to cut
  4. firm — decided
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. firm — a company
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. clip — for paper
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. swing — in golf
  13. firm — steady
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rest — a break
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. band — a music group
  19. squash — to crush
  20. band — a ring
  21. clip — a video
  22. rush — hurry
  23. squash — the sport
  24. swing — to play on

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