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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · ball · wake · pitch · chip · roll · kick · pass

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pitch — completely
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chip — for betting
  14. wake — a trail
  15. roll — a cake
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. roll — a list
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. kick — in football
  24. ball — a dance

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