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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: lash · pitch · present · foot · kick · jam · fork · fan

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. present — the time now
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pitch — completely
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. present — a gift

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