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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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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 · bat · squash · craft · bowl · row · hide · firm

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. row — to paddle
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. squash — to crush
  19. firm — a company
  20. craft — a skill
  21. row — a line
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pitch — completely

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