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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: swing · pitcher · mouse · rush · spell · lean · cue · racket

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. swing — music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cue — for pool
  6. swing — in golf
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lean — thin
  13. spell — magic
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. swing — to play on
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rush — a thrill

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