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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.

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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: fine · track · prune · pitch · swing · stick · mate · bore

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. swing — music
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. track — to keep track
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mate — to breed
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitch — completely
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bore — to drill
  13. fine — all right
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. track — a path
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bore — to tire
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. fine — high quality
  23. prune — the fruit
  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