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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.

Make a worksheet

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: row · can · tube · lean · racket · fan · kick · pitch

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. can — a tin
  6. kick — in football
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. pitch — completely
  10. can — to be able to
  11. lean — thin
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. can — a tin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. row — a line
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. tube — a container

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