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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: pit · pitch · club · lash · craft · board · kid · dip

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. club — for golf
  3. board — a committee
  4. pit — a hole
  5. craft — boats
  6. dip — to sink
  7. board — to get on
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. kid — child
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pit — in a race
  21. club — a group
  22. kid — to tease
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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