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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: swing · kick · drill · pitch · can · rule

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. kick — in football
  3. can — a tin
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rule — government
  6. drill — army training
  7. can — to be able to
  8. swing — music
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. rule — a law
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pitch — completely
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. can — a tin
  18. kick — a thrill

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