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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. dip — to sink
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. firm — a company
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — a gift
  12. hand — in cards
  13. present — the time now
  14. firm — decided
  15. kick — in football
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. firm — steady
  20. hand — help
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. present — there
  24. kick — with a leg

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