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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 116 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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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: mate · stand · sharp · cabinet · present · kick · root · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. root — of a word
  6. stand — to bear
  7. kick — in football
  8. mate — a partner
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. present — a gift
  11. mate — to breed
  12. root — of a plant
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. root — the cause
  15. present — the time now
  16. sharp — clever
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mate — a friend
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. present — there
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. cabinet — ministers

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