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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pit · lash · chip · lean · spring · season · cue

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lean — thin
  9. season — of the year
  10. spring — of water
  11. pit — in a race
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cue — for pool
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pit — a hole
  23. cue — a signal
  24. season — in sport

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