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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: spell · pitch · foot · current · bass · swing · rash · track

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. track — a song
  3. current — of water
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. swing — in golf
  7. spell — magic
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bass — the fish
  10. swing — music
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rash — a series
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rash — hasty
  15. current — happening now
  16. spell — a short time
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bass — low music
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. current — electric
  22. spell — letters
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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