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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 116 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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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: kick · rash · present · swing · board · drill · pitch · hand

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pitch — completely
  4. kick — in football
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. board — to get on
  8. hand — in cards
  9. drill — a practice
  10. present — the time now
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. drill — the tool
  14. swing — to play on
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. drill — army training
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rash — a series
  20. present — a gift
  21. rash — hasty
  22. board — a committee
  23. hand — help
  24. present — there

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