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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.

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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: suit · arm · deal · pit · pitch · bat · kick · pitcher

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. suit — clothes
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitch — completely
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bat — the animal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. deal — to handle
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pit — a hole
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. kick — in football

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