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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: pitch · stand · suit · bear · kick · fork · foot · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pitch — completely
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bat — the animal
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. suit — clothes
  15. kick — in football
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. foot — a measure
  20. suit — to fit
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. fork — in a road
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. kick — a thrill

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