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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 120 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: firm · pitch · lash · stick · mouse · club · cap · track

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. club — for dancing
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cap — a hat
  9. track — to keep track
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. firm — decided
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. firm — a company
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. firm — steady
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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