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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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468
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: swing · pitcher · fork · current · fan · racket · mate · pound

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. current — happening now
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. current — of water
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pound — a weight
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. current — electric
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mate — to breed

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