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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: rest · saw · object · date · racket · trunk · pitch · chip

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. object — an aim
  6. pitch — completely
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. object — to protest
  9. date — the fruit
  10. object — a thing
  11. saw — the tool
  12. chip — for betting
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rest — a break
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rest — what's left
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. chip — to eat
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. racket — a loud noise

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