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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: game · swing · stick · cue · current · pitch · fine · mark

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — to play on
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mark — a trace
  12. current — of water
  13. fine — all right
  14. swing — music
  15. current — electric
  16. game — a match
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. mark — a grade
  19. current — happening now
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pitch — completely
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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