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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: tube · pitch · chest · stick · staff · suit · object · squash

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. squash — the sport
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. suit — clothes
  5. staff — employees
  6. tube — the underground
  7. object — an aim
  8. staff — a stick
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chest — a box
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. object — a thing
  15. tube — a container
  16. chest — of your body
  17. staff — employees
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — completely
  21. object — to protest
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pitch — a sports field

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