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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: pit · arm · file · current · bark · firm · kick · pitch

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. current — happening now
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. file — a document
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. firm — a company
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. file — a line of people
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bark — to shout
  16. firm — decided
  17. pit — a hole
  18. current — of water
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. file — a tool
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. current — electric
  24. firm — steady

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