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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: craft · present · pitch · swing · bass · patient · rush · saw

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bass — the fish
  4. present — there
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. present — a gift
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. swing — in golf
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. rush — hurry
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. saw — the tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. present — the time now
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bass — low music

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