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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: club · bank · pitch · swing · roll · mug · pass · root

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. club — for golf
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. roll — a cake
  6. swing — music
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. club — for dancing
  9. roll — a list
  10. root — of a word
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bank — for money
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bank — of a river
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. root — the cause
  19. bank — for money
  20. mug — a face
  21. club — a group
  22. pass — a permit
  23. root — of a plant
  24. roll — on a roll

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