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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: cell · wake · kick · pass · suit · fork · court · pitch

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fork — in a road
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cell — in biology
  9. court — of a king
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. court — of law
  18. wake — a trail
  19. court — for sport
  20. pass — a permit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cell — a phone
  23. kick — in football
  24. pitch — a sports field

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