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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 120 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: stick · fine · kick · stand · hide · pitch

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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 — a thrill
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. kick — in football
  4. fine — all right
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pitch — completely
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. fine — high quality
  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