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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: pass · bowl · march · ball · swing · pitcher · leaves · can

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. ball — a great time
  3. march — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. can — a tin
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. march — the month
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pass — a permit
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. march — the month
  24. can — a tin

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