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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: pit · swing · ball · rash · stick · deal · fine · racket

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. swing — to play on
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. swing — in golf
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. swing — music
  20. fine — all right
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rash — a series
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pit — a hole

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