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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 116 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: game · pop · band · pitch · saw · rush · racket · suit

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pop — soda
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pop — music
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. saw — the tool
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. band — a music group
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pitch — completely
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. game — wild animals
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. game — a match
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rush — hurry
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. band — a ring

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