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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: drill · pitch · stand · bat · swing · bass · board · mug

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bass — low music
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. swing — in golf
  7. board — to get on
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bat — the animal
  12. mug — a face
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. drill — army training
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pitch — completely
  18. swing — music
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — a committee
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pitch — a sports field

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