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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 120 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: pitcher · squash · swing · patient · bass · net · current · deal

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. net — for catching
  5. bass — the fish
  6. deal — to handle
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. swing — music
  11. net — after costs
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. net — in sport
  16. current — happening now
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. swing — to play on
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. current — of water
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bass — low music
  24. deal — a big deal

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