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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: kick · fine · pitch · rule · mark · stand · hand · firm

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rule — government
  3. pitch — completely
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. firm — decided
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. hand — help
  11. firm — steady
  12. fine — all right
  13. kick — in football
  14. firm — a company
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rule — a law
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rule — to rule out

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