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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: racket · pitch · race · track · pitcher · fan · lash · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. race — humankind
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. race — a contest
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. race — the arms race
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. track — to keep track
  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