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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 120 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: leaves · swing · pitcher · pop · stock · safe · pit · patient

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. pop — to visit
  3. swing — music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. stock — shares
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pop — music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. swing — in golf
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pit — in a race
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stock — goods
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pop — soda
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. safe — a strongbox

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