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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: race · racket · stand · key · mouse · pitch · bark · kid

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. key — for a lock
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. key — in music
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. race — humankind
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pitch — completely
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. kid — to tease
  24. race — the arms race

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