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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: pitch · root · ground · lash · present · land · cabinet · kick

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. present — the time now
  3. ground — the earth
  4. land — a country
  5. kick — in football
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ground — crushed
  8. land — to come down
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — completely
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. root — of a word
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. present — a gift
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. land — ground
  24. present — there

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