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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: present · swing · bound · track · pitch · lash · fall · fine

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bound — obliged
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fall — the season
  8. track — a path
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bound — certain
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. present — the time now
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bound — tied together
  18. fine — all right
  19. present — a gift
  20. track — to keep track
  21. present — there
  22. track — a song
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. fall — to drop

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