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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: rule · wave · swing · sharp · current · suit · pitch · date

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. current — happening now
  8. suit — to fit
  9. swing — in golf
  10. date — the fruit
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rule — a law
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. suit — clothes
  18. swing — music
  19. rule — government
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pitch — completely
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. sharp — with an edge

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