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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: arm · pitch · racket · chair · spell · temple · suit · track

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. suit — clothes
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. track — a song
  8. pitch — completely
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. track — a path
  11. spell — magic
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. suit — in cards
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. spell — a short time
  18. suit — to fit
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. track — to keep track
  23. spell — letters
  24. temple — a place of worship

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