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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: pit · ball · staff · row · pitch · saw · tube · object

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. staff — a stick
  5. tube — the underground
  6. staff — employees
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. object — a thing
  11. staff — employees
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pit — a hole
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pit — in a race
  18. object — an aim
  19. row — a line
  20. row — to paddle
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tube — a container
  24. object — to protest

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