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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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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: deal · ground · march · pitch · board · ruler · jam · swing

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. march — the month
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. board — to get on
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. swing — to play on
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. board — a committee
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. swing — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pitch — completely
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. deal — to handle
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ground — the earth
  19. swing — in golf
  20. march — the month
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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