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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: cap · dip · pitch · staff · toast · stand · fork · kick

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. pitch — completely
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. kick — in football
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. cap — of ice
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. cap — a lid
  11. staff — employees
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stand — to bear
  14. staff — employees
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. cap — a hat
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. toast — bread
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. fork — in a road
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. fork — a garden tool

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