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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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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: kid · lash · deal · pitch · can · trunk · ground · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. ground — the earth
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. ground — a position
  7. swing — in golf
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. kid — child
  10. ground — crushed
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pitch — completely
  13. can — a tin
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. can — to be able to
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. can — a tin
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. deal — a big deal

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