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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: fine · pitch · nail · squash · pass · track · swing · net

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. swing — music
  6. track — a song
  7. net — for catching
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pass — a permit
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. track — a path
  12. squash — to crush
  13. net — after costs
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. swing — to play on
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. net — in sport
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pass — to succeed

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