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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · squash · file · wave · swing · club · coach · leaves

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. file — a tool
  6. club — for dancing
  7. squash — to crush
  8. file — a line of people
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. swing — to play on
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — a group
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. file — a document

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