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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 120 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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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: march · chip · swing · nail · pit · mug · pass · fork

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pit — a hole
  4. march — the month
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pit — in a race
  10. march — music
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. swing — in golf
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mug — a face
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pass — a permit
  21. swing — music
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pass — to spend time

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