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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: cue · can · sharp · kick · pitch · date · ground · board

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. can — to be able to
  8. date — the fruit
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — a committee
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cue — a signal
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. cue — a hint
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. ground — the earth
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. sharp — clever
  23. board — to get on
  24. pitch — completely

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