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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · rash · date · fine · stick · racket · swing · stand

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rash — hasty
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. fine — all right
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rash — a series
  18. swing — music
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. date — the fruit
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. stand — to bear
  24. swing — in golf

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