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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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · rush · stand · mine · racket · pitch · bowl · toast

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. file — a document
  8. toast — bread
  9. mine — for digging
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rush — a thrill

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