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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: bat · deal · pitcher · sharp · kick · suit · pit · face

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pit — a hole
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. face — to confront
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. kick — in football
  20. sharp — clever
  21. suit — to fit
  22. face — part of the head
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bat — the animal

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