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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
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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: present · hand · pitch · arm · kick · bulb · track · squash

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bulb — for light
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — the sport
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. present — there
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — a song
  12. squash — to crush
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. hand — help
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. present — a gift
  17. kick — in football
  18. present — the time now
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. track — a path
  24. hand — in cards

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