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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: swing · chair · rush · pitch · wake · mug · trunk · craft

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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. swing — in golf
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. chair — a leader
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. rush — hurry
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. wake — a trail
  19. mug — a cup
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. mug — a face
  24. trunk — of a car

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