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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: hand · bark · stand · pitcher · rush · bay · sharp · swing

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. hand — help
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. hand — in cards
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rush — hurry
  24. sharp — with an edge

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