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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
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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 · file · stick · nail · firm · ball · plane · straw

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. firm — a company
  6. file — a tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. pitch — completely
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. firm — decided
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. file — a line of people
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — steady
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. file — a document
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. nail — for a hammer

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