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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 116 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: kick · pitch · mouse · spring · stem · stick · ball · board

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. board — a committee
  6. spring — of water
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spring — a coil
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. spring — the season
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. kick — in football

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