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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kid · fan · present · stick · pitch · mine · rush · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mine — for digging
  3. pitch — completely
  4. present — the time now
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. kid — child
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. kid — to tease
  15. present — there
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. foot — a measure
  23. present — a gift
  24. foot — part of the body

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