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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: coach · swing · racket · squash · drill · fine · club · stick

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. swing — in golf
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. club — for dancing
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fine — high quality
  12. drill — army training
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. drill — a practice
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. club — for golf
  18. fine — all right
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. squash — the sport
  22. drill — the tool
  23. squash — to crush
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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