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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.

Words on the sheet
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 · pass · bore · band · season · firm · pitcher · stick

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — a company
  5. band — a ring
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. season — in sport
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. band — a music group
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. firm — decided
  19. swing — music
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. firm — steady
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. season — of the year

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