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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 · foot · drill · mark · pitcher · club · lean · craft

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. drill — army training
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mark — a trace
  8. club — a group
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. swing — in golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — for golf
  14. craft — boats
  15. swing — to play on
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. drill — the tool
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lean — thin
  22. swing — music
  23. drill — a practice
  24. foot — a measure

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