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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: jam · bowl · pitch · stick · toast · fall · game · racket

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. game — a match
  4. pitch — completely
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fall — to drop
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. toast — bread
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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