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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: pitch · bank · racket · toast · game · pitcher · bear · cue

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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. pitcher — a jug
  4. game — a match
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pitch — completely
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bear — the animal
  12. game — wild animals
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bank — for money
  17. cue — a signal
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bank — for money
  21. cue — a hint
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bank — of a river

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