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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: pound · rush · fine · straw · club · swing · rest · mate

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rest — what's left
  5. swing — in golf
  6. club — a group
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. swing — music
  11. club — for dancing
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. club — for golf
  15. rest — a break
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pound — a weight
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. swing — to play on
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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