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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 · racket · pound · club · foot · cabinet · bat · stand

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bat — the animal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. foot — a measure
  14. club — a group
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — for golf
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. foot — the bottom

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