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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.

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: bore · swing · ruler · pitcher · club · court · wound · bass

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. club — for dancing
  5. court — for sport
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. court — of law
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bass — low music
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. court — of a king
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bass — the fish
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bore — to drill

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