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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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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: bat · file · rash · kick · cue · bowl · pitch · dip

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  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. rash — on the skin
  2. file — a line of people
  3. rash — a series
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bat — the animal
  6. pitch — completely
  7. file — a tool
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. cue — for pool
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. file — a document
  22. kick — in football
  23. rash — hasty
  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