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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: stick · deal · rock · date · pitch · pit

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rock — music
  10. date — the fruit
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pit — a hole
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pitch — completely
  18. deal — a big deal

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