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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: present · suit · lash · leaves · race · kick · capital · pitch

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. race — a contest
  4. kick — in football
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. race — the arms race
  8. present — there
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. capital — a city
  11. present — the time now
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pitch — completely
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. suit — clothes
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. capital — money
  24. race — humankind

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