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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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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 · mark · pitch · perch · bear · stick · roll · squash

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bear — the animal
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mark — a grade
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pitch — completely
  17. roll — a list
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. perch — the fish
  20. roll — a cake
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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