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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: row · pitch · racket · rest · swing · bank

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bank — for money
  4. swing — music
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bank — of a river
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. swing — in golf
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left

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