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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: pitch · firm · toast · craft · rest · chest

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. pitch — completely
  3. firm — decided
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. chest — of your body
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. chest — a box
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. firm — a company
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rest — a break
  16. firm — steady
  17. toast — bread
  18. rest — what's left

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