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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: cue · swing · safe · game · rash · file · pitcher · racket

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. swing — in golf
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rash — a series
  10. cue — a hint
  11. game — wild animals
  12. file — a line of people
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. swing — music
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a document
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. swing — to play on

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