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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: toast · rule · pitch · saw · swing · tear

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. swing — to play on
  4. pitch — completely
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rule — a law
  8. tear — to rip
  9. rule — government
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. swing — in golf
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. tear — from crying
  16. toast — bread
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pitch — a sports field

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