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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. swing — to play on
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. club — a group
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. swing — music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. club — for dancing
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. suit — in cards
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. club — for golf
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. suit — to fit
  24. swing — in golf

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