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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 116 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: lean · pitch · pass · craft · squash · racket · saw · stand

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stand — to bear
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pitch — completely
  7. craft — boats
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lean — thin
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. stand — for spectators

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