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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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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: suit · temple · drill · pop · cap · kick · object · pitch

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pop — to visit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — in football
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pop — soda
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. suit — to fit
  18. object — a thing
  19. pop — music
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. drill — army training
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. cap — a lid

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