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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: pitch · mug · land · pit · kick · present · plane · rule

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rule — a law
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rule — government
  11. pit — a hole
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. land — ground
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pitch — completely
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mug — a face
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mug — a cup
  23. present — the time now
  24. kick — with a leg

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