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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 120 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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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: pitch · rush · net · pop · straw · deal · trunk · racket

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pop — soda
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. pop — to visit
  6. deal — to handle
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pop — music
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rush — hurry
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. net — after costs
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. trunk — of a car
  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