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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: shower · swing · foot · coach · pit · racket · stick · saw

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. shower — to wash
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pit — in a race
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. swing — in golf
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. shower — rain
  9. saw — the tool
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. foot — a measure
  17. swing — to play on
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. swing — music
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. racket — a loud noise

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