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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: pitch · snap · firm · mug · swing · leaves · season · rush

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mug — a face
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. mug — to rob
  6. season — in sport
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. firm — steady
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. rush — hurry
  13. snap — to click
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. swing — to play on
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. swing — music
  19. firm — decided
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. firm — a company
  22. season — of the year
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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