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

Word bank: stick · deal · pound · pitch · staff · cabinet

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. staff — a stick
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pound — a weight
  14. staff — employees
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. staff — employees

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