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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.

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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: kick · nail · stock · swing · snap · safe · spell · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. swing — in golf
  4. spell — a short time
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pitch — completely
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stock — goods
  9. swing — to play on
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. snap — to click
  13. swing — music
  14. kick — in football
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. spell — magic
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — shares
  23. spell — letters
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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