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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: hand · content · stick · kick · drill · cue · root · pitch

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pitch — completely
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. drill — army training
  9. cue — a signal
  10. drill — a practice
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. kick — in football
  13. root — of a word
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. content — the amount
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. hand — help
  18. drill — the tool
  19. cue — for pool
  20. root — the cause
  21. hand — in cards
  22. content — happy
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. kick — with a leg

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