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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 120 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: pitch · deal · object · pass · land · fan · kick · bay

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. object — to protest
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. object — an aim
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. land — to come down
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. land — ground
  11. kick — in football
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. object — a thing
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. land — a country

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