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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: racket · hand · pound · rest · can · row · pitch · bulb

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rest — what's left
  5. hand — help
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. can — a tin
  9. hand — in cards
  10. row — to paddle
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bulb — for light
  19. can — to be able to
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. row — a line
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pitch — completely
  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