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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: stick · cap · pass · craft · kick · rush · staff · pitch

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. kick — in football
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pitch — completely
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. craft — boats
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. staff — employees
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rush — hurry
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. staff — employees
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. staff — a stick
  24. craft — a skill

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