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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
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: last · kick · ball · object · rock · bear · prune · pitch

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. last — to go on
  3. kick — in football
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. object — a thing
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. last — finally
  8. object — an aim
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ball — a great time
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ball — a dance
  15. object — to protest
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rock — a stone
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rock — music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. last — final
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pitch — completely

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