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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 · foot · board · stick · club · ruler · trunk · file

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. club — for dancing
  6. foot — a measure
  7. file — a document
  8. pitch — completely
  9. club — a group
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. file — a tool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. file — a line of people
  18. board — to get on
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. board — a committee
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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