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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: pitch · stick · pound · bay · trunk · firm · rule · last

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. last — final
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rule — government
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. firm — decided
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. firm — steady
  17. last — finally
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. last — to go on
  21. firm — a company
  22. rule — a law
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pitch — completely

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