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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: lie · pitch · board · lash · can · pit · kick · fall

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pit — in a race
  3. can — a tin
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. kick — in football
  7. pit — a hole
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. board — a committee
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. can — a tin
  19. board — to get on
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pitch — a sports field

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