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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: hand · mark · jam · swing · bank · pitch · bear · patient

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. swing — in golf
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hand — help
  6. pitch — completely
  7. swing — music
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bear — the animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bank — for money
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. bank — of a river
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. mark — a grade

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