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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: pitch · kid · squash · pitcher · suit · content · stick · bore

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. suit — to fit
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. kid — child
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. content — happy
  13. squash — the sport
  14. kid — to tease
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pitch — completely
  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