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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: swing · racket · fall · fork · club · mark · season · stick

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. swing — music
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. club — for golf
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. swing — to play on
  10. season — of the year
  11. fall — to drop
  12. club — a group
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. swing — in golf
  16. mark — a trace
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. club — for dancing
  19. fall — the season
  20. season — in sport
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. racket — for tennis

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