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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: capital · swing · pitch · cabinet · pit · bulb · pitcher · march

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. pit — in a race
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. march — the month
  5. swing — in golf
  6. capital — a city
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. march — the month
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bulb — for light
  16. swing — music
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. march — music
  19. capital — money
  20. pitch — completely
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitch — a sports field

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