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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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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: kid · squash · pitch · lean · pit · present · suit · lie

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. squash — to crush
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lean — thin
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — the sport
  9. present — there
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. suit — clothes
  15. kid — child
  16. present — the time now
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. present — a gift
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kid — to tease
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pit — a hole
  24. lean — to bend

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