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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: tube · kick · pitch · leaves · net · swing · row · pitcher

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. kick — in football
  3. swing — in golf
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. row — to paddle
  7. net — in sport
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — music
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. row — a line
  13. net — for catching
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. net — after costs
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. tube — a container
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitch — completely
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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