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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 · nail · bowl · firm · lash · season · suit · bore

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. season — in sport
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. suit — to fit
  9. firm — decided
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. firm — steady
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. pitch — completely
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bore — to tire
  20. season — of the year
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. suit — clothes

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