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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: saw · firm · racket · roll · pitch · pit · spring · rock

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. spring — of water
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. firm — steady
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rock — a stone
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. firm — decided
  11. rock — music
  12. firm — a company
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. roll — a cake
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. pitch — completely
  19. spring — the season
  20. pit — a hole
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. spring — a coil
  24. saw — the tool

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