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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. craft — a skill
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. capital — a city
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chair — a leader
  13. prune — to trim
  14. craft — boats
  15. cue — for pool
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. capital — money
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pitch — completely
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. prune — to trim

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