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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: patient · fine · club · safe · shower · pitch · swing · pop

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pop — to visit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. club — for golf
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pop — soda
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fine — all right
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. swing — music
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pop — music
  14. shower — rain
  15. club — a group
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. swing — in golf
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. shower — to wash

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