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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · field · wake · suit · pitch · calf · pitcher · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. suit — clothes
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. field — a subject
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wake — a trail
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. field — farmland
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitch — completely
  22. kick — in football
  23. field — for sport
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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