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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: season · mug · file · swing · pitch · pop · toast · cabinet

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pop — soda
  5. season — of the year
  6. file — a document
  7. pop — music
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pop — to visit
  10. swing — in golf
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. mug — a cup
  13. swing — music
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mug — to rob
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. file — a tool
  19. toast — bread
  20. mug — a face
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. swing — to play on
  23. season — in sport
  24. cabinet — ministers

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