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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: staff · kick · calf · stick · pitch · cue

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. pitch — completely
  3. staff — employees
  4. cue — a hint
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cue — for pool
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. staff — employees
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. staff — a stick
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. kick — in football
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pitch — a sales talk

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