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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 120 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: pitch · chip · racket · perch · rash · degree · craft · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pitch — completely
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rash — a series
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. degree — from a university
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chip — to eat
  13. degree — an amount
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. craft — boats
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. craft — a skill
  20. chip — for betting
  21. degree — temperature
  22. perch — the fish
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ball — a great time

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