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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: pitch · stick · toast · chair · trunk · racket

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pitch — completely
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. chair — a leader
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. toast — bread
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitch — a sports field

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