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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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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: pitcher · pit · fan · club · swing · staff · vault · sharp

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. swing — to play on
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. club — a group
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. sharp — clever
  10. staff — employees
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. swing — in golf
  13. club — for golf
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. staff — a stick
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. club — for dancing
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. vault — a safe

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