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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: bat · object · pitcher · swing · board · pop · firm · mark

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. firm — steady
  4. pop — soda
  5. mark — a grade
  6. board — a committee
  7. pop — music
  8. object — an aim
  9. board — to get on
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. object — a thing
  13. firm — decided
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. object — to protest
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. firm — a company

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