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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: can · swing · scale · cue · squash · pitch · land · deal

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. can — to be able to
  5. land — to come down
  6. scale — in music
  7. squash — to crush
  8. cue — a hint
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. can — a tin
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. land — ground
  16. can — a tin
  17. land — a country
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cue — a signal
  24. swing — to play on

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