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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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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 · squash · vault · racket · pitcher · stick · perch · swing

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. swing — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. swing — to play on
  7. vault — a safe
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. squash — to crush
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. perch — the fish
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. swing — in golf
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. squash — the sport
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. racket — for tennis

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