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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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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: current · racket · bay · trunk · pitch · pound · cap · straw

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. current — electric
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pound — a weight
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cap — a hat
  13. current — of water
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cap — a lid
  20. current — happening now
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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