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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: degree · pitch · straw · bowl · root · racket · swing · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. root — the cause
  11. swing — to play on
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. root — of a word
  14. pitch — completely
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. swing — in golf
  18. root — of a plant
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. swing — music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. degree — from a university
  24. degree — an amount

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