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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 116 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: kid · fan · mouse · suit · march · pitch · swing · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. swing — in golf
  4. march — music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — to tease
  10. march — the month
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. swing — to play on
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitch — completely
  16. march — the month
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. swing — music
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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