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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · rush · bat · racket · stick · object · deal · scale

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. object — to protest
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bat — the animal
  5. scale — in music
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rush — hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. object — an aim
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — to handle
  22. object — a thing
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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