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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: squash · ball · field · racket · can · pitch · foot · object

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. field — farmland
  3. foot — a measure
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. field — for sport
  6. ball — a dance
  7. can — to be able to
  8. ball — a great time
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. object — a thing
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. field — a subject
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. squash — the sport
  15. object — to protest
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. can — a tin
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. object — an aim
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. squash — to crush
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. can — a tin

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