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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: racket · roll · cue · pitch · fork · calf · bat · object

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. object — a thing
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bat — the animal
  10. roll — a cake
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. object — to protest
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. roll — a list
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. object — an aim
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. racket — for tennis

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