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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: ruler · swing · cap · mug · firm · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. cap — of ice
  3. firm — steady
  4. mug — a face
  5. firm — a company
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — to play on
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. firm — decided
  12. mug — to rob
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pitch — completely
  16. swing — music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cap — a lid

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