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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: mouse · swing · kick · mark · club · mine · plane · pit

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. club — for golf
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pit — in a race
  8. swing — music
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mine — for digging
  21. swing — to play on
  22. plane — a tool
  23. club — a group
  24. mouse — the animal

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