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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · fork · pitch · deal · can · ball · swing · content

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pitch — completely
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. fork — in a road
  13. can — a tin
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. ball — a great time
  17. content — happy
  18. rush — hurry
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. deal — to handle
  23. can — a tin
  24. ball — a dance

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